Framed as a John on New Year's Eve

I curled up in the snow, my body black and blue from bruises.

The neighbors whispered among themselves as they sneered and jested.

"The guy looks all proper, but who would've thought he'd be so shameless in secret?"

"Jennifer is an outstanding young woman. She must have been blind to choose someone like this!"

Amid the commotion, someone spat on my face.

Though I was so cold that my body was turning purple and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably, nothing felt colder than my heart at the moment.

While I was humiliated by the crowd, Jennifer didn't look the least bit sympathetic. She even looked a little pleased.

I summoned all my strength to suppress my shivers and speak. "Jennifer, you really won't even hear my side of the story? You're just going to believe whatever he says and think I'd do something like that?"

Jennifer let out a scoff upon hearing that. "What more is there to explain? I don't want to hear a single word of your lies, Nicholas."

The disgust in her eyes was impossible to ignore. "I only feel disgusted by you now. Just thinking about being with you makes me sick. Once this is over, the first thing I'm doing is getting a full check-up at the hospital. If you've infected me with a disease, I'll make sure you pay for it!"

Duncan lowered his head and patted her back gently, his tone soothing. "Don't get worked up over a guy like him, Jenny. Ruining your health over this isn't worth it."

My face turned purple from the cold as I curled into myself even more. Every breath I took felt like sharp thorns scraping my throat.

With all the strength I had left, I managed to squeeze out, "Duncan, tell me… Am I the immoral one, or are you the one flipping the truth on its head? I'll give you one last chance. If you don't come clean to everyone now, you're going to regret missing this chance…"

Hearing this, Duncan flew into a rage on the spot. "Damn it! After all this, and you still dare to threaten me?"

Grinding out a curse, he charged at me, lifting his foot as if to strike my head.

Just as the blow was about to land, Jennifer grabbed him. "Duncan, stop!"

She spoke in a measured, slightly urgent voice. My heart skipped a beat. I thought that maybe she finally couldn't bear to see me being treated like this anymore.

But the words that came next cut colder than the midwinter snow. "Stay away from him. A guy like that could be carrying all sorts of diseases and bad luck. You shouldn't dirty your shoes."

The last bit of hope I had died the instant she finished speaking. My body no longer felt cold. I simply felt numb and hollow inside.

Duncan withdrew his foot, grinning wickedly. "Jenny, I'm just angry on your behalf. This guy's been lying to you all this time, and yet he's still refusing to come clean. It makes me so mad that I just want to kill him!"

As he spoke, he signaled to his men. "Tie him up properly. We wouldn't want him to get unruly later."

Several of his men immediately stepped forward to bind my hands behind my back with hemp rope, despite my struggles.

I watched in horror, a sinking feeling clawing at me. "Duncan, what are you trying to do? Intentionally causing harm is a crime. Even if I did do something wrong, you have no right to take the law into your own hands!"

Duncan laughed like I'd said something funny.

He crouched down close, his excitement clear on his face. "I'm not taking the law into my own hands. When it comes to dealing with scum like you, this is simply called doing society a favor."

Right as he said that, he lifted his foot again, only this time, he didn't hesitate.

He kicked me squarely in the face. I saw stars, and my nose started bleeding like crazy. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Before I could even cry out in pain, everything went black. I didn't know how long I was out, but when I woke, I felt the freezing wind slashing at my mostly bare body.