Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21 As Benjamin was leaving the cultural event, some were talking about his wife. “How old is she? 26? 27 maybe? And she’s from a rich background. I didn’t expect her to give such an inspirational speech. That’s rare.” “Yeah, but since she took 25 grand to come and stay here for two hours, she at least needed to deliver that much.”

“She took that much?”

“Yeah, we initially wanted to bring a movie star, but they asked 100 grand. We didn’t have the budget, so we had to settle for this rising star of a fashion designer.”

“Damn, it’s good to have some fame.” “Yeah, but if it was that easy, everyone would become famous, wouldn’t they? She talked about hard work and hope, but who knows how many dicks she rode and asses she licked to get to that position?”” “Not all do such things. She seems genuine.” “Haha, whether she’s as sterling as her family name implies or not, that’s not something we can prove from here.” Benjamin didn’t even look at those men. He just kept walking and walking, not even bothering if he was going in the right direction. He found the nearest bar and began drinking. Everything that had happened in the past eight months kept playing in his mind. Benjamin wore the wedding ring. Always. Rebecca, however, never put it on. He tried to give her flowers so many times, but she didn’t accept such gestures even once. Benjamin was always talking and smiling, trying to build the relationship. Rebbeca, on the other hand, was like a rock with no heart. He was mocked and even beaten by his in-laws at times, but she never interfered to stop them. She just watched him suffer. He never understood her intentions behind being so indifferent, at least not until this moment. “This is what I get for being so honest and caring?” he downed a full bottle of vodka, making the bartender look kind of worried.

“Bro, you should take it easy,” he advised, but Benjamin grabbed another bottle. “Alright. I don’t think you can go home if you drink that.”

Benjamin, however, downed it all in one go. “Huhoo...” those drinking next to him were mightily impressed by that. “Damn! A whole magnum of spirits in one go? I’ve never even done it in one sitting.” “Who the fuck is this monster?” some men were genuinely shocked.

The bartender, however, looked extremely worried. “I think you should go to the hospital. You just drank four weeks worth of alcohol in less than ten minutes. You might get seizures.”

“Do I look like I’m intoxicated?” Benjamin pushed the bartender away and grabbed another vodka bottle.

“Yeah. Down the damn thing once more!” the other men cheered. “Woohoo!”

“I request that you put the bottle down, or I’ll be forced to be rude,” the bartender warned.

Benjamin didn’t even care and downed the third bottle. The bartender forcibly pulled the bottle away and called for the security.

Two heavy men rushed in and picked him up from both ends by Benjamin’s arms and took him outside. “Don’t shake him too much, or he’ll vomit on your shoes!” Some customers made fun of the security as they walked past them. “Whoever that was, he’s crazy. He’s gonna pass out soon and wake up with a killer hangover tomorrow.”

Benjamin, however, kept walking along the street. He was completely conscious, and he still felt the pain in the heart as much as before. The alcohol didn’t do anything to lessen the hurtful feelings.

Suddenly, a car stopped next to him. “Benjamin?” a familiar voice called out for him. It was Rebecca. Both she and Jane were in the car. The back door opened, and Benjamin lifelessly walked and got inside.

“What were you doing outside instead of going home?” asked Rebecca.

He didn’t respond. He could see how bright her face was. It was the face of someone with no worries, of someone who recently achieved something. (If only you could feel my pain...)

“I can smell vodka from him,” Jane looked back at him. “It smells bad. Did he drink from some cheap bar?”

Drinking outside in a bar without even taking her permission beforehand? Rebecca didn’t like that. She put her foot on the accelerator so hard, Jane got scared for a second. “Whoa, what’s gotten into you!” Jane felt her hair rise. “Take it easy. You are wearing high heels!”

Rebecca still drove rashly, and at a turn, her foot slipped over the brake pedal, and the heel broke. Her foot landed awkwardly, and her ankle bent, and her bone cracked. “Ah!” she cried out in pain.

Jane reacted in the nick of time and squeezed the brake pedal with her foot until the tires skidded into a halt.

Rebecca groaned and whined in pain. “Ugh, I think my ankle broke.” “What?” Jane was surprised. “I know you don’t like high heels. Why did you wear them today? For the fest?”

Rebecca nodded while pain filled her expression. “I didn’t want to, but they’d attract attention.”

“So?” Jane wanted to rap Rebecca’s head with her knuckles. “The world cares for appearances, but how long do you think you can maintain your appearance? You’re going to get old one day, and no man will look at you sexually anymore. That’s the reality.” “Huh, isn’t everyone still looking at my mother now? Even when she’s past fifty?”

“Don’t get fooled by your mother. She’s done surgery to her face multiple times, and it worked out for her. But the truth is there are more failed surgeries than successful ones, and go ask anyone who got their surgeries messed up, and they’ll only say one thing. They badly miss the old natural charm they had. So try to be as natural as possible like me. Even when I wear high heels, I throw them away once I’m done with them.” “I get it,” Rebecca cringed in pain. “Take me to the hospital.” “Yeah, but we should first move you to the back,” Jane turned her head and looked at Benjamin who was sitting with his arms folded. “Why are you sitting there like a statue? Come and help me move Rebecca to the back.” Benjamin kept staring at them, testing their temper.

“What the heck, dude?” Jane got irritated. “Did you drink too much to be unable to even hear what I am saying?”

“No,” Rebecca said, looking at Benjamin. “I know he can hear us. Look at those eyes. Those are not the eyes of someone loving.

Now that he’s drunk, he’s showing his true self. His usual good-man’s face has worn off, and he’s just like your typical man who loves for gains. The fact that he doesn’t want to help me now but still calls himself the son-in-law of the Sterling family proves that I’m right.” “No shit,” Jane blurted out in annoyance. “And whose fault is that?” “What?” Rebecca was shocked. “Are you saying it’s my fault he’s behaving like this? He’s the one who’s ungrateful. Not me!” Jane’s brows raised. “I’m not going to bother trying to repair your messed up relationship, so, why don’t you just slide over to my seat, and I’ll do the driving.” Rebecca gritted her teeth and spoke no more. Jane soon started driving, and Rebecca was making low painful sounds. Jane glanced and looked at Benjamin through the mirror. He didn’t seem concerned about his wife’s situation. He looks like a different man today. Just what happened between these two in these last few days?) Her eyes slowly widened. (Don’t tell me... it’s because I told him to spank her that evening? Did that cause all this? Does that mean I am responsible for worsening their relationship?)