Chapter 2 I Will Not Let You Suffer Humiliation Again

• Patrick Jones was the name of Scarlet’s husband. He was a talented student at school, without any remarkable achievements to his name.
• After all, he was still in his early twenties. What could he possibly achieve at that age? Patrick’s father, however, was remarkable and held a high position within Yannopolis city. Previously, when the Quinn Corporation ran into difficulties, it was his father who lent them a helping hand several times. Therefore, the entire Quinn family was willing to flatter Patrick.
• “Finley, what are you blanking out for? Come help me move these things. Are you blind?” Yvonne turned around to scream at Finley. She had utterly no respect for him.
• Finley kept his peace and took on the role of mover in silence. Lily and her husband looked on grimly. Finley was also a son-in-law of the Quinn family and older than Yvonne. But now, he was being ordered around. It was a great loss of face for them. They mentally scolded him for being a useless piece of trash and an easy pushover.
• Mariette, on the other hand, was biting her lip in anger. She knew. She understood that Finley was doing this to protect her last remaining shred of dignity. Now, he’s the only one being shamed. But if he resisted, their whole family would be shamed.
• “Be careful. Don’t break it. That’s a bottle of whiskey that costs more than a thousand. You can’t afford to break it.” Both Scarlet and her husband also held him in scorn. Patrick started issuing instructions because he was afraid that Finley might break the gifts.
• In this society, a penniless and powerless son-in-law gets no respect from anyone.
• After the arrival of Scarlet’s family, their relatives crowded around fawningly. Later, they were escorted into the hall by Christine and Yvonne.
• “Scarlet, rest on the sofa with Patrick and your parents. Once everyone has arrived, we will set off for the hotel.”
• “If you need anything, let me know. Don’t be too formal with me. We are one family.” Both Christine and Scarlet behaved warmly toward their guests. Christine also kept holding Patrick’s hand, as if he were her son-in-law.
• “Eh?”
• “There are no seats left?”
• When they arrived at the hall, they found that there were no seats available.
• “Aunt and Yvonne, there’s no need to trouble yourselves. I will just stand around with Scarlet. We are leaving for the hotel soon anyway,” Patrick said politely.
• “No way. You are an honored guest. How could we let you stand?” Christine rejected the proposal right away. After looking around the hall, her gaze landed on Mariette and her family. At that moment, Finley had already finished moving the gifts and was about to take a seat himself.
• “Hey you, Mariette. Your family has already sat long enough. Why don’t you give up your seats? Scarlet and Patrick have just arrived and they need to rest,” Christine informed Mariette promptly.
• Her daughter, Yvonne, simply pulled Finley out of his seat without a word.
• Although they were unwilling, they couldn’t do anything since the host had already made her intention clear. Mariette and her family could only give up their seats to Scarlet and her family.
• And so, in the large hall of the Quinn family's house, only Mariette and her family remained on their feet. Everyone else was seated and chatting among themselves.
• Since Lily and her company felt embarrassed, they decided to wait outside the hall instead.
• “They are looking down on us. Everyone else had a seat. Why were we the only ones forced to give up our seats? They are out to embarrass us!” Out in the courtyard, Lily could no longer stomach the humiliation and howled in anger.
• Mariette’s father sighed quietly.
• Finley bowed his head, his face expressionless.
• “It’s all your fault, you trash. You’ve shamed all of us. Go look at Patrick and then look at yourself! Why is my life so difficult? My husband is useless and my son-in-law is a piece of trash!” Lily was once again venting her frustration on Finley.
• “Enough! You think we haven’t been embarrassed enough?” Mariette finally snapped.
• “Yes, Finley is indeed worthless. He’s a piece of trash. But, Mom, why don’t you ask? Ask my father and ask me. Are we not worthless too? If there’s even one capable person among us, would they have humiliated us today?”
• Mariette was screaming in a guttural tone and trying her best not to choke on her words. She even clenched her teeth to prevent herself from crying. Finley could see that. After suffering through three years of humiliation, this proud and independent woman finally broke down and cried.
• With tears streaming down her face, Mariette ran out of the hall and away from the house.
• “Look at your daughter. Not only did she marry a piece of trash and shame our family, now she has the nerve to yell at us? We can’t keep on living like this...” Lily was still complaining. But while the couple was unaware, Finley had already left the scene.
• A beautiful woman was crying by the moat, with tears streaming down her face. She looked as if she was trying to let out all the grievances she had been enduring for the past three years.
• A man suddenly appeared beside her and stretched out his hand to wipe away her tears.
• “Mariette, I am sorry. You’ve suffered because of me.” Finley paused for a moment and continued. “Let’s get a divorce. I am not worthy of you. You deserve a better man.”
• Smack.
• A clear sound rang out as Mariette’s slap landed on Finley’s face.
• She looked at him with her teeth clenched and screamed in a tear-choked voice. “Finley, why? Why can’t you be more like a man? A setback comes along and you immediately think of running away. For the past three years, I told you not to touch me and you didn’t. My parents abused you and you didn’t even retaliate. My relatives humiliated you and you just kept quiet. Why are you so useless? Why can’t you be more like a man and teach those b*stards who humiliated us a lesson? Why can’t you protect me from all these troubles? I don’t want to be looked down upon. I don’t want others to mock me. I want the people who have humiliated us to regret what they did...”
• Woo woo woo…
• Mariette continued to cry.
• Cold, strong, independent, and stubborn – these were the words Finley would use to describe his wife. But at that moment, the formerly strong and independent woman was crying like a child.
• “Finley, I really, really don’t want to keep living a sad life like this…”
• Mariette’s tears poured forth like rain. At that moment, she looked as weak and helpless as a child.
• Finley was stunned.
• It had been so many years since they had known each other and that was the first time Mariette talked to him like this.
• Finley had always thought that he was just a piece of useless garbage to Mariette. But now, he knew that Mariette had always considered him to be her husband, a man who could shelter her and take care of her for life.
• “Mariette, I’m sorry for being useless all these years. But I promise, from now onward, nobody will be able to bully you.”
• The cold wind blew, causing ripples to form across the moat and the leaves to rustle in the trees.
• Finley clenched his hand tightly as he made an unbreakable vow to Mariette.
• That night, Finley made a call.
• “Arrange a meeting. I will go see him.”
• On the other end of the line, the old man reeled in surprise. Then, unable to suppress the joy in his heart, he asked excitedly, “Mr. Finley, is that true? Have you agreed?”
• “Okay. I will go make the arrangements right away. You stay there and we will send someone to pick you up,” the old man added.
• The old man was in quite a state of excitement. A car was immediately dispatched for fear of Finley changing his mind and running away.
• When the news reached a middle-aged man, he was so agitated that his eyes grew teary. “It’s been ten years. Finley, you are finally willing to see me.”
• After composing herself, Mariette returned to the house for her cousin’s engagement ceremony.
• If she stayed away, it would just give her relatives something to use against her in the future. And she would become an object of criticism. It was just that, Finley was no longer with her when she returned.
• As for Finley, he had already left after making his promise. Mariette was a little worried that he might do something outrageous because of her.
• Although Mariette was dissatisfied with Finley, she recognized his silent efforts to support her over the past three years. She had seen his submission to various humiliations in the Quinn family as well. Therefore, it was only natural that she felt a little something for him. If Finley had gone and done something illegal because of her complaints earlier, she would never forgive herself.
• On the way back to the family house, she tried to call Finley but nobody picked up. Finally, Mariette decided to send him a text message.
• “Mariette, where on earth did you go? Everyone had to wait for you. Hurry up. We are going to the hotel.” Yvonne’s impatient voice could be heard coming in from the front.
• Mariette grunted in response and tapped the “Send” button on her phone. Then she went into the hall and followed everyone else to the hotel where Yvonne and Wyatt’s engagement party was being held.
• Outside the family house, Wyatt had already arranged for a fleet of Audi cars to stand by and ferry the guests to the hotel.
• After everyone had boarded, the Audis roared off, engines revving loudly. No one noticed that Finley was not in any of the vehicles.
• Who would pay attention to a useless live-in son-in-law like him?
• Meanwhile, a crowd of envious bystanders were looking at the departing Audis. “Mr. Quinn’s daughter had found herself a good man.”
• At the same time, a fleet of luxury cars were speeding toward the moat. A dozen or so heavily-built men were standing neatly in two rows to greet the young man in front of them.
• “Mr. Finley, please board the car!”
• “Mr. Finley, please board the car!”
• Their shouts resonated through the air and frightened away the birds in the vicinity.
• A few seconds later.
• Boom…
• The roars of engine noise and streams of orange-red lights from the cars tore through the horizon. And like a herd of primordial beasts, the vehicles sped into the distance.
• “Whoa!”
• “Come look. Rolls-Royce!”
• “D*mn! Six of them!”
• “Look at the one in front. Isn’t that an explosion-proof car? That’s fit for a head of state.”
• “It costs at least ten million!”
• “Next to the Rolls-Royces, the Audis look like a pile of sh*t!”
• “Heavens!”
• “What’s going on? Who’s coming?”
• “Is there a VVIP in Yannopolis?”
• Along the way where the fleet passed, the atmosphere was rather lively.
• The vampish and unmarried women could only blush in agitation when they saw the opulent procession.
• If you have to get married, that’s the kind of guy you should marry!
• The passerby who saw the procession of black Rolls-Royces could only go crazy with envy and yearning.
• What’s a rich family? That’s a rich family right there!
• In comparison with this family who could afford to use Rolls-Royces to escort and clear the way for them, the other tycoons in Yannopolis looked like losers.
• While clamors were going on outside, Finley remained calm inside the vehicle. His head was bent forward as he looked at the message on his phone.
• Mariette: Finley. Just now, I behaved in an unbecoming manner. It’s not your fault. And I don’t need you to do anything. I will deal with my family matters. When you see this message, please hurry home.
• Finley turned off the phone. His face was expressionless as he looked out of the window at the deep night sky.
• That deep gaze gave him the air of a dragon and a tiger returning to its domain.
• “Mariette, from today onwards, I will have the power to protect you for the rest of your life.”
• Whoosh!
• The car continued speeding toward Oceanic Inn, the most luxurious restaurant in all of Yannopolis.