Chapter 7

Richard looked at her with disappointment written all over his face.

"Charlotte, you shouldn't have done that on purpose. Olivia's got scenes to shoot tomorrow, but now her face is messed up because of you," he said.

For some reason, the slap marks on Olivia's face hadn't faded. In fact, they looked even darker now.

Charlotte protested right away, "Her face has nothing to do with me. I only slapped her twice, and you all saw it. How could it end up like this?

"Richard, I'm the one who got pushed around all day on set. I'm your wife. You promised you'd protect me forever, so what are you doing now?"

Before she could finish, Olivia marched up and slapped Charlotte hard across the face. "You bitch, still trying to lie? Richard already said you mean nothing to him. Don't even think about coming between us.

"Richard, say it. You don't have anything to do with her, I'm the only one you love."

Richard's fists clenched instinctively.

Olivia cried even harder. "Richard, are you lying to me? Do you really have something with her? You two..."

Seeing Olivia break down, Richard quickly clarified, "No, there's nothing between us. She's one of my employees, that's it."

Charlotte crumpled to the floor, utterly spent, body and soul.

All those years together, and to him, it meant nothing.

Trying to calm Olivia down, Emily stepped in, "Olivia, don't stress. Richard's heart is all yours, you know that.

"Don't let her mess with your head. You're pissed, right? Let's help you get back at her."

Olivia asked, "So how are you guys going to help me get back at her?"

They traded looks, and in the end, Richard made the decision. "She slapped you and messed up your face, so give it right back to her."

Charlotte's eyes widened in shock, locking her gaze on Richard. She couldn't believe he'd actually said that.

She always thought he was fickle, maybe infatuated with someone new.

But she never expected he'd go so far as to tell them to hit her back, all for Olivia's sake.

But she wasn't the one at fault.

Charlotte scrambled to her feet, trying to make a run for it, but Emily grabbed her before she could get away. "Don't even think about running. You hit Olivia, so now it's your turn to pay."

A group of bodyguards rushed in and forced Charlotte to her knees.

Olivia flashed her a smug, taunting smile, then cozied up to Richard, playing the sweet and innocent act. "Richard, you promised me. If anyone ever hurt me, you'd make them pay a thousand times over.

"Charlotte only slapped me once, but a thousand slaps is a bit much. I want her to learn her lesson and stop lying, so let's give her ninety-nine slaps instead."

Richard seemed relieved. "That's why I knew you'd handle this so maturely, Olivia."

He glanced at the bodyguards. "Stop standing around. Get to it."

The sound of slaps echoed through the room. Charlotte tried to run, but there was no escape. She wanted to speak up, but couldn't get a word out.

Humiliation stung as tears streamed down her face, one after another.

With the first slap, she remembered how Richard had stood up to his family to be with her.

The second slap brought back the memory of his proposal. How he'd sworn she'd be the only one he'd ever love.

But as the slaps kept coming, their once-sweet memories blurred into nothing, replaced by pain and betrayal.

The Richard who used to get all worked up if she so much as nicked her finger was nothing like the man standing here now.

After ninety-nine slaps, Charlotte lay on the floor, completely broken like a corpse. In that moment, she finally realized how heartless he'd become.

Richard ordered someone to drag her back home.

As soon as she got back to the hotel, her phone buzzed with a message from Richard.

Richard: [Don't ever bully Olivia again. This is your first and last warning. I'm not going to repeat myself.

[Get some rest tonight. Don't wait up for me.]

Charlotte's hot tears fell onto her phone screen.

She was done waiting. From now on, she would never wait for him again.