Chapter 19
25 Touchers
A single confession of love forced all her tears out of her.
In that instant, Marlene felt like a clown whose nose had been ripped off, exposed and with nowhere to hide.
“Yes, Kenyon, you knew I liked you, yet you sent me to Dewey, made me sleep with him just so you could get a contract signed.”
“You knew perfectly well that I liked you, but when Dewey’s daughter came to my door and hit me, you chose to let me suffer in silence and told me not to call the police.”
“You knew I liked you, and yet to please Thelma, you whipped me ninety- nine times.”
“Kenyon, have you forgotten all of this?”
With every word Marlene spoke, Kenyon’s face grew a shade paler.
Tears slid down silently, as if mourning all those years of foolish devotion and self–deception.
“Kenyon, I admit I once loved you, once liked you, but love and affection have an expiration date. You trampled on my sincerity again and again, taking advantage of my feelings without restraint. From the moment you hurt me, you should have known–we can never go back.”
Marlene wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and lifted her head with restraint. “Kenyon, the truth is, you never really liked me. You were just used to having me around. Don’t confuse habit with affection. How could someone like you ever be sincere?”
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Only then did Kenyon realize that the cruelest thing in this world is when you offer your true heart to someone, only to find that she no longer believes in it.
A door closed, mercilessly separating two worlds.
Kenyon sat by the roadside, lost and broken, pondering Marlene’s words.
From childhood, Kenyon had been required to excel in everything. His life demanded perfection, not allowing a single mistake. So he grew up outstanding and sharp, but there was one thing he was never taught: how to love, how to treat someone with genuine sincerity.
And by the time he realized his mistake and wanted to make amends, he found that it was already too late.
At last, he collapsed by the roadside, burying his head in his knees, and wept in silence.
Kenyon’s announcement of breaking off the engagement with the Glyn family caused a huge stir, with the media abuzz with speculation.
Some even dug up the incident of the fight at the wedding banquet, and many speculated that it was all because of Kenyon’s secretary.
When Lawrence heard about it, he was so furious he nearly fainted. He immediately had people bring Kenyon back by force.
A specially made rattan cane lashed mercilessly across his back. “You really must be insane! All for a woman! How have I taught you all these
years?!”
Kenyon remained silent, enduring everything on his own, refusing even to bend his back. “I was crazy before, listening to all your arrangements.”
Hearing this, Lawrence struck even harder. “Was it wrong or not?!”
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Chapter 19
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Kenyon still gritted his teeth and stayed silent. “I was not wrong!”
Even after all the beatings, Kenyon never changed his answer.
It was only when Lawrence grew tired that he finally stopped. He ordered his men to drag the nearly unconscious Kenyon into the room and locked the door.
Inside the room, Kenyon lay on the floor, counting the lashes on his fingers.
It was only nineteen lashes, and he already couldn’t bear the pain. How much must it have hurt Marlene when he whipped her ninety–nine times back then?
Because of the pain, Kenyon’s mind was almost delirious. He had no idea how long he had been in the room, nor how many days had passed.
In a daze, he heard his mother’s sobs. Sheila held Kenyon in her arms, crying like a child. “My good boy, you’ve suffered. Go and bow your head, admit your mistake to your father.”
At this point, Kenyon was barely hanging on, gasping for breath as he looked at his mother. “Mom, do you love Dad?”
Sheila’s tears kept falling, but she alone did not answer his question. “Child, that doesn’t matter. Just go and admit your mistake to your father…”
“It matters,” Kenyon interrupted Sheila, forcing a smile. “It matters. It’s very important.”
“Mom, I don’t want to live a life that’s been arranged for me.”
The moment he finished speaking, Kenyon completely lost consciousness.
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Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
