One More Night

In the clean VIP room in the hospital, Kevin frowns, sits by the bed and looks at Nicole. Her face is pale, and her lips are also a retreating pink tender. The pale makes him feel heartache. Heartache? Kevin is awakened by the world! Heartache? Is this feeling of clinging in his heart?

Kevin’s dark eyes are a little confused. To him, women are always like clothes. Being worn out and thrown away. How did he ever feel heartache about women?

He feels confused in his mind. This little woman has completely messed up his life!

Nicole wakes up with her water eyes slowly opening. And she just sees Kevin’s eyes.

Kevin’s eyes are soft, and Nicole thinks she is dazzled! She rubs her eyes and looks into Kevin’s eyes again. Sure enough, Kevin’s eyes have no tenderness but only pride and indifference.

Nicole pats herself in the chest fearfully and thinks, “The tenderness of the movement was just my blinding sight! What would Kevin do besides being conceited and using brute force?”

“Kevin is startled by the sudden opening of Nicole’s eyes. He just covers up his emotions and asks coldly, “You are awake? Who was the man last night?”

Nicole fainted yesterday. He just called the emergency medication and left the man on the ground without asking him who he was.

Nicole sighs when she hears the question. What the hell is wrong with this man!

She turns her head away and ignores Kevin. She has nothing to say to such an unreasonable person.

Nicole’s attitude makes Kevin feel angry. His big hand turns her face toward him.

“Speak! Do not test my patience!” Kevin’s patience is running out.

“Does this have anything to do with you? Let go!” Nicole glares at him.

“It is none of my business?” Kevin smiles grimly and says, “Do not forget that you are my mistress. A mistress must obey the rules.”

Yes, she is his mistress. It is ridiculous to ask for dignity. Nicole thinks she is stupid. Who does she think she is? She is just a mistress!

With her white teeth clenched against her pale lips, Nicole raises her eyes and her voice sounds horribly cold, “Yes, I am just a mistress. I should not have dignity or freedom. I am poor and mean so I deserve to be your booty call. I deserve to be bullied violently by you. It is the greatest blessing of my life to be seen by someone like President George. I should be obedient. You let me go east and I can’t go west. If you say it is sunny and I can’t say it is raining… right?”

Kevin’s face is slashed by the sharp words of her. He fixes his gaze on Nicole, being shocked by a sense of brainwashing. What is this little woman talking about?

No one has dared to speak to George in that tone since he accepted his estate at the age of 18. Her words were so sharp, ironic and unbridled. Besides, it came from a seemingly weak little girl.

The tall and proud man has been looking at her for a while and the corners of his mouth suddenly make a smile. That smile is so cold as if he is evil from hell.

“Who gives you the guts to talk to me like that, Nicole Richard? Don’t forget, your father, Barry Richard is still lying on the bed which was prepared for him by me. All the drugs and doctors are arranged by me. I do not need to move a finger at all and he will die!”

Kevin’ crooked smile is like the devil of hell.

“What do you want?” Nicole quivers, trying to suppress her fears.

Kevin looks down at her, squints his eyes and moves his finger slightly to raise her chin, “You are a smart woman. I mean, you know, from this day on, you must obey my ten rules of Terms of Mistress.”

“Terms of Mistress?” Nicole stares at him. Her little face is white and her watery eyes are almost full of mist.

“Rule number one: from today, you quit all your part-time jobs and move to my mansion.”

“Rule number two: wherever you go, make sure you report to me first and get my approval.”

“Rule number three: never lie to me.”

“These three are for the time being, and the other seven will be added soon.” Kevin’s tone does not allow any objections from Nicole.

Nicole lowers her head. Her long silky hair slid down in her face, blocking her expression. Kevin’s heart is softened.

Kevin moves away from her hair, comes close to her beautiful face and whispers in her ear, “Now, tell me, who was the man last night? Is it the man you are obsessed with?”

Man?… Jake? Nicole’s heart snaps.

Jake has disappeared from her life. Perhaps they will no longer have any intersection.

With a sad smile in her eyes, Nicole says, “No. He is just an ordinary classmate of mine.”

Kevin’s dark eyes are fixed on Nicole as if to see her heart.

In Nicole’s eyes, Kevin sees nothing but indifference. So, she is not lying. Lucien’s heart is strangely relaxed.

~

Y City looks particularly beautiful on summer nights. Row by row of tall buildings, busy streets and lanes, lights red wine green, everything seems quiet and comfortable.

The warm, moist evening breeze, with a hint of gardenia aroma, blows in the car window from outside. The Lamborghini is headed to the shantytown where Nicole lives.

“Nicole, I will give you ten minutes to say goodbye to your stepmother and your sister, and then get out right away!” Kevin’s tone is too harsh to refuse.

“Ten minutes? I have to pack my things.” Nicole looks at Kevin unhappy. Her eyes were blue and purple and she looked miserable.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Kevin is soft; his voice is still cold as ice, “Fifteen minutes. If it is longer than that, I can’t be sure what will happen.”

You tyrant, devil, psycho, megalomaniac! Nicole secretly curses, rolling her eyes at Kevin.

“Nicole, do not forget who you are!” Kevin, noticing Nicole’s movements in the rear-view mirror, cautions coldly.

Nicole sighs. Never mind, it is better not to challenge such unreasonable people.

Kevin pulls a satisfying smile from the corner of his mouth when she sees Nicole not talking and says, “Woman, you’d better be well behaved.”

At the door of Nicole’s house, Kevin frowns, “Nicole Richard, you live here?”

Although Paul had reported to him that the Richard family lived in low squatter settlements, Kevin had no idea that the environment of the squatter settlements would be so bad. The sewage is everywhere, the garbage is piled up and flies are buzzing around. This can’t be a place for people to live!

Nicole, glancing down Kevin’s eyes at the squalid, low shantytown, shrugs and smiles, “Where does President George think I should live? In a five-star hotel? Or in a villa at the seaside?”

Kevin’s tall body stands out in the slum and his Lamborghini catches the eye of passers-by.

“Aunt Doris, your daughter brought a rich man back!” Outside the door, a fat housewife shouts to Nicole’s mother.

Kevin frowns. The stench of the dump passes and he is dying of the smell.

“Nicole, go and say goodbye. I will give you 15 minutes.”

His words have not finished and Doris and Eva have come out. Eva seldom comes back and just goes home today. Hearing Nicole brought a rich man back, she hurries out to look in.

Seeing Lamborghini outside, Eva’s eyes are lit up. Next to Lamborghini stands a tall, proud man with a handsome face. The air of a king is around him everywhere. He is- isn’t he Kevin George?

Eva is so jealous that she goes crazy in her heart. She calculates everything for herself and is finally beaten by Nicole.

Kevin George has seen her. Will he recognize her? If he does, maybe that night’s story will be revealed! If Kevin goes on, it is not hard to know that Nicole is the one slept with him that night!

Eva peers nervously at Kevin.

Nicole has to introduce him to her mother and her sister, “Mom, sister, this is Kevin George. I borrowed money from him for Dad’s medication.”

Borrowed? Doris sneers. You sold yourself to him! Why is this naughty girl so lucky to meet Kevin George?

Kevin has no taste and such blind to throw her out of the office the other day, but likes this stupid girl!

Kevin does not look at Doris and her daughter at all. He is not interested in this kind of slum woman!

With a cold nod, Kevin returns to the car. He is unable to breathe because of the stench of the rubbish heap!

“Nicole, is not that man out there rich?” Doris looks at Nicole with her bright eyes. Unexpectedly, this wench looks like a stubborn girl is so clever to get such a rich man.

“Mom, I just want to pack my things.” Nicole heads down to her room. She hates Doris’ tone.

“Eva, you are useless! You see, even Nicole can catch rich people. You are prettier than her and you are better than her. Why can’t you get along with a rich man?” Doris says.

“Who knows where she gets her luck from?” Eva touches her long hair. The money Kevin gave her last time has been gambled all away by her. Or she will not come back to this slum house!

Leaning obliquely against the door, Eva holds her hands to her chest and looks at Nicole, who was packing, “Are you moving in to live with Kevin?”

“Live with Kevin.” Sounds harsh. Nicole bites her lip, feeling a little sad.

If possible, she would like to be like other ordinary girls, living a normal life. She would not like to be a secret mistress, being used and bullied all day long!

If possible, maybe she can see Jake again. Maybe she will marry him and have a beautiful baby, living a happy life rather than being despised like today!

Seeing Nicole not talking, Eva turns her eyes and comes up with an idea.

“Nicole, can I come and see you often?”

“Of course you can.” Nicole is touched. She has not expected that Eva will still miss her.

The phone in her jeans pocket suddenly rings.

“Hello? What’s the matter?”

“Nicole, it is 15 minutes! Get out!” Kevin’s voice contains anger.

“All right, I see. I’m coming out now.” Nicole picks up her bag and walks out the door. Her clothes are few and her bag is not heavy.

“Mom, sister, I am leaving. I will come back to see you again.” Nicole says goodbye to them. Looking at the shabby layout of the house, she suddenly feels a little sad.

“Well, go! Do not make the president wait!” Doris hurries to push Nicole toward the door. She does not want to offend the rich man out there. She may need their favor!

As she walks quickly to the car, Nicole looks back at her low house and gets into the car with the bag.