Chapter 6 Two Slaps

• I hesitated at the entrance of Avenue Bar for more than half an hour, wanting to go in and find out what happened to Fatty Watson, yet too afraid that the security would recognize me. Okay, let’s not go in. However, I was still worried that he remained lying in the private room without having been found by anyone. But that’s not very likely since the private room door is transparent glass. As long as someone walks past, they’ll definitely be able to see the situation inside. Half an hour later, I drove off, not daring to go in and take a look in the end.
• When I returned home at Rose Community, Jessie and Gemma were both still sleeping soundly. After bustling around for most of the night, I was exhausted as well, but my worry about Fatty Watson’s condition just wouldn’t dissipate. Thus, I lay on the bed, tossing and turning to no avail. Finally, I drifted off groggily after an indeterminate time, only to feel a biting pain on my left cheek followed by a crisp sound in my ear. Slap!
• The pain had my eyes instantly snapping open, and I was greeted by Jessie’s infuriated expression. Huh? What happened? D*mn it! I saved her last night at the risk of my own life, so why is she treating me in such a manner now? She’s acting as though it was me who drugged her for the express purpose of violating her! I was stunned for a moment. Blinking, I sat up in bed as I inwardly wondered what exactly had happened.
• “Well? Have you been tailing me secretly all this while?” Jessie barked as she pointed a finger right at my nose.
• After spacing out for ten seconds or so, I finally gathered all my wits about me. In the face of her furious questioning, the resentment and fury within me exploded at once. “Do I have nothing else to do that I’d tail you? Did you think that everyone in the world clings to you just because you’re devastatingly beautiful? You’re such an ungrateful wretch! I risked my life to save you last night! Never mind if you don’t thank me, but you actually slapped me early in the morning. Do you have any conscience at all? D*mn it! I don’t even know if Fatty Watson is alive now. If he’s dead, I’ll be going to prison! I was truly asking for it. I’m a coward by nature, so I shouldn’t have pretended to be a hero last night! I should’ve just watched as he forced himself on you and record it with my cell phone for keepsake—”
• Slap! Before I’d finished speaking, another slap landed on my right cheek with a crisp smack.
• “How despicable!” After condemning me, Jessie spun on her heels and left the room.
• “F*ck it!” As I stared at her retreating back, a sense of resentment swamped me. I’ve gotten two slaps early in the morning, and I can’t even hit her back! This is just too frustrating! Thus, I snapped aloud, “Ungrateful wretch!”
• “Another word from you, and I’ll deduct your pay for three months!” Jessie, who’d reached the door, threatened me viciously as her head snapped back upon hearing my howl, and she shot daggers at me.
• The moment I heard that my pay would be deducted, I immediately backed down. That’s 18,000 there! I meekly zipped it, though I was still harboring resentment within me.
• “Come out when you’re dressed. I’ve got something to ask you,” Jessie said.
• I said nothing, merely curling my lips to express my dissatisfaction.
• Ten minutes later, I dragged my feet to the living room, only to be greeted by the sight of the long-haired girl—Gemma—making breakfast. Meanwhile, Jessie was sitting on the sofa, watching Fox & Friends on Fox News Channel.
• Walking up to her, I spoke before she could ask me anything. “I went to Avenue Bar with Jean from Tiny Diner last night, and I caught sight of you when you went to the toilet. That was no decent place, so I was worried that you’d be in danger. For that reason, I followed you to the private room for a look. It so happened that you were indeed in danger, so I saved you. If you want to thank me, just transfer the amount you think you’re worth into my account. I won’t bargain with you. Oh yes, don’t forget to also take your friend into account.”
• Before coming out to see her, I’d already thought things out. She looks down on me, so it’s better to just exchange the favor she owes me for money. That’ll be more practical. If Fatty Watson wants to take revenge against me, I’ll at least have enough money to make a break for it!
• Jessie looked me up and down without saying a single word for half a minute. Uneasiness rose within me from her scrutiny, and I felt perturbed. “Hey, what’s wrong now? Shouldn’t you be giving me some money as thanks after I risked my life to save the two of you last night?”
• “I was initially planning to apologize about the incident this morning, but it doesn’t seem necessary now,” Jessie stated mildly. “I’ll transfer another 300,000 into your account, but this is the last time I’m giving you money. We’ll divorce after some time.”
• When I heard her words, I was outright stunned. Divorce? She’s actually letting me go and even giving me another 300,000? In this case, I’ll have 600,000 in my account, and that’s enough for me to go back to my hometown in a small county and buy a house before taking a wife! “You’re serious?” I promptly questioned after zoning out for more than ten seconds.
• Jessie didn’t say anything, merely nodding.
• At this time, Gemma was done cooking breakfast, and she came over to call us for breakfast. She even thanked me by exclaiming, “Thank you for saving me last night, Hudson!”
• I flashed her an awkward smile, feeling a tad embarrassed at her gratitude when I’d just finished talking money with Jessie.
• “You were very brave last night! Your declaration of ‘How dare you touch my woman’, especially, was really manly!” Gemma gazed at me with wide eyes, her gaze crystal clear. All at once, shame suffused me. D*mn it! Should I have not asked for money earlier? Then, I wondered whether I was too forceful. Do I see only money now?
• Breakfast was a torture, for she was truly too naïve. She kept thanking me and even offered to treat me to a meal personally to express her gratitude. All this had me feeling exceedingly awkward since Jessie had already agreed to pay me 300,000 for the incident last night. Hence, it seemed rather inappropriate to accept Gemma’s gratitude since I wasn’t a shameless person.
• Before going to work, Jessie made a few phone calls before informing me that Fatty Watson was fine. He’d been sent to the hospital last night and received six stitches to his head besides suffering a mild concussion, but he didn’t lodge a police report.
• “What’s the story between you and Fatty Watson?” I inquired. In response, Jessie stared at me for a long while. Unnerved by her stare, I waved a dismissive hand. “Forget it if you don’t want to tell me. I don’t want to know either. Just make sure that he doesn’t take his revenge on me,” I said.
• “What a coward!” Snorting, Jessie then snagged her bag and left for work. When she left, she took Gemma with her. Gemma’s last name was Campbell, but she had no middle name. She was a sophomore in the Literature Department of Jacinth University, and she had a class on this day.
• Now that they were gone, the weight was finally lifted off my shoulders. After they’d both left, I went back to my room straight away and plopped down on my bed for a long slumber. D*mn it! I hadn’t slept the entire night and only dozed off early in the morning, but Jessie woke me up with two slaps. I’m now sleepy as hell!
• In the subsequent days, I received a deposit of 300,000 in my account. However, Jessie became all the more depressed as though she’d encountered a problem. In the past, she’d always portrayed the image of a strong and resolute woman, but she’d changed ever since bumping into Mr. Zampell with Miss Young back then. Now, she would come home very late every day, and she always reeked of liquor. Several times, she was even plastered and was sent back by Gemma.
• On this particular night, I heard the doorbell at 11:30 at night. I opened the door at once, only to be greeted by the sight of Gemma standing outside the door while supporting Jessie, who was three sheets to the wind.
• “A hand, Hudson? Please help to hold Jessie up,” Gemma urged.
• “Sure!” I instantly unlocked the grille. Taking Jessie from her, I supported Jessie into her room.
• That night, Jessie vomited and screeched in her room, cursing Jackson out. She kept me and Gemma busy for more than two hours before finally settling down at a little over two in the morning and falling into a deep slumber.
• Jessie had been behaving particularly oddly these days, so I was truly curious about whatever might have happened. And it was only when she cursed Jackson earlier did I abruptly realize that it’d been a long time since Deputy Mayor Jackson had come over for a meeting with her. In order to understand the entire matter, I didn’t hasten into my room to sleep. Rather, I sat on the sofa in the living room and waited for Gemma—who was taking a shower in the bathroom—to come out. I’ll ask her what exactly happened that Jessie is drinking herself to oblivion every night.
• A while later, the bathroom door swung open, and Gemma walked out in Jessie’s nightgown while toweling her hair. Every single step she took revealed a sliver of her ivory thighs, causing desire to rise within me. “Gemma!” I called out. At that same time, I stole a peek at her breasts. They seem to be even bigger than Jessie’s!
• “You’re not in bed yet, Hudson?”
• “Nope. I’ve got a question for you, so come and have a seat.”
• “Sure.”
• “What exactly is the matter with Jessie?” I asked.
• “Don’t you know?”
• I shook my head. Subsequently, Gemma told me everything she knew, though she wasn’t too sure about the specifics either. She merely knew that there was no hope for Jessie to be promoted, and it was very likely that she’d be transferred away from the Bureau of Land and Resources after the House and Senate convened next year. However, the transfer didn’t include a step-up in position.
• Hence, she only had two choices now—the Agricultural Bureau or Municipal People's Congress. Jacinth City was basically a commercial city, so there was no arable land at all. Thus, the Agricultural Bureau of Jacinth City was merely for show. As for the People’s Congress, it was a place for retired leaders to live out the rest of their lives. Jessie was in her prime at only 30 years old this year, so if she truly went to the People’s Congress, she’d probably have no opportunity to advance further in this lifetime.
• “Oh, I didn’t know that.” I was stupefied after listening to Gemma.
• “I’ll be going to bed, Hudson.”
• “Sure.”
• Then, Gemma went to Jessie’s bedroom to sleep. I was already accustomed to this, and there was even once when I woke up in the middle of the night to pee, only to hear the moans of two women from Jessie’s room. I almost lost control and barged into the room then.
• After Gemma had left, I sat on the sofa in the living room in a trance. Jessie’s decline in power probably has to do with meeting Miss Young that night, or perhaps Mr. Zampell. I truly can’t figure out much considering the complexity of officialdom, but it seems that Fatty Watson must have known about her imminent transfer from the popular Bureau of Land and Resources since he dared to drug her. I’m guessing that he even knows about the fact that she’d broken up with Deputy Mayor Jackson, which was why he dared to make a move against her. Looks like this Watson man is truly something else, I mused inwardly.
• The fact that Jessie’s future was doomed actually had nothing to do with me since our marriage was merely a fake one. Besides, I already had 600,000 in my bank account, so this was the perfect time to extricate myself. However, I simply felt perturbed.