The Price of Pride

Rupert barked at the guards again, "Are you deaf?! I said, make them eat those! Have they eaten yet?! Shove it down their throats! Especially Mr. Shaw's dear mother. She's allergic to lobster, isn't she? Well, as a nutrition expert, I'd like to see what kind of allergy can't be cured by force-feeding!"

The guards followed orders and began stuffing the lobster rolls into Richard and Leona's mouths mercilessly. Before they could even swallow what was in their mouths, more was crammed in.

Saliva, lobster filling, and bits of bread smeared all over their faces.

Richard's face turned bright red with rage, while Leona's breathing was clearly becoming labored.

Seeing Leona about to pass out, Richard somehow found the strength to break free from the guard restraining him and tried to reach her. Yet, the next moment, another guard kicked him hard and sent him crashing to the floor.

Rupert looked down at Richard as if he were trash. "I was kind enough to offer you food, and not only are you ungrateful, but you dare to resist, so don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He turned to the guards and shouted, "Beat this old fool senseless! I want to see if he's really as tough as he's acting!"

The guards immediately began punching and kicking Richard. Within moments, he fell silent and stopped moving.

Leona's breathing grew weaker. Yet, as she stared at Richard's motionless body, tears streamed from her clouded eyes.

I struggled desperately against the guards holding me back and screamed, "Rupert! Stop this! Are you trying to kill someone?!"

Rupert looked down at me calmly, almost smugly. "Mr. Shaw, so what if someone dies? Do you really think Ms. Prescott would send me to prison over your two hick parents?"

My heart raced with panic, but I knew deep down that Rupert was right. He was Jaclyn's most trusted butler, while my marriage to her was nothing more than an arranged engagement made by our grandparents decades ago.

After we got married, she treated me with complete indifference. For ten years straight, she let Rupert humiliate me at every turn.

Seeing Richard and Leona on the verge of death, I suddenly noticed a fruit knife in the bowl on the dining table. I broke free from the guards restraining me and lunged for it.

Before anyone could react, I grabbed the knife and pressed it against Rupert's throat, yelling to the guards, "Pull the car up to the front door, and get the two elders into it. None of you is allowed to follow!"

Rupert's face immediately turned pale with fear, and he quickly told the guards, "Do as he says!"

At the same time, he did not forget to threaten me through gritted teeth. "Ivan, if Ms. Prescott finds out what you've done to me, you're dead!"

With lives on the line, I ignored him completely.

Once the guards followed my instructions and got the two elders into the car, I dragged Rupert to the door, shoved him aside, and immediately drove off toward Jaclyn's hospital.

The Prescott family was one of Oakville's most prominent families. Richard and Leona adored Jaclyn so much that they did not force her to inherit the company. Instead, they allowed her to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and even invested a fortune to build her a large private hospital.

I drove at breakneck speed, racing against time to reach the hospital. I told myself that as long as I could get them there, everything would be fine. After all, Jaclyn would not refuse to save her own parents.

At the same time, I called Jaclyn over and over while driving. Unsurprisingly, every call was rejected.

I did not expect anything different. Over all these years, I was only ever able to contact Jaclyn through Rupert, and she never once answered my calls or replied to my messages.