Avery Jane watched as his thin lips opened and closed, speaking words that were incomprehensible and terrifying.

Joshua Hughes looked at her face, growing paler by the moment, and felt a faint sting in his heart.

These days, he was striving to learn how to get along with her well. He wanted to keep her, to win her heart, to have her think of him.

So he wanted to do everything for her, including rebuilding that building, ensuring she wouldn’t be bullied in his world, granting her the highest authority in the Hughes Family, allowing her to do anything as he could in the Hughes Family. Even if she was afraid of getting entangled with Evelyn, he thought it was fine. Even if Evelyn Yates were played to death, he would clean up the mess for her.

But she treated everything he did for her as nothing, stepping on everything he wanted to give her. Then let her taste the feeling of losing protection, so she would suffer enough to cling to him. He would dismantle her pride, bone by bone, to see what she would miss, what would sustain her so-called nonsense beliefs.

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Rudely stuffed into the car, Joshua Hughes drove all the way, his face menacingly stony, directly towards the Hughes family’s old mansion.

The high house still looked luxurious like a castle, but to Avery Jane, it seemed like a prison, sending her heart spiraling into an abyss.

Joshua Hughes looked at her with a cold smile, pulled open the car door, and yanked her out. Avery Jane’s knee slammed into the car door, causing her to stifle a low cry of pain.

But none of this could evoke any pity in his heart anymore. Now, all he could think about was how to torment her, to smooth her edges, pluck out her thorns, and wait for her to beg for mercy, to turn into a puddle of soft water drowning him. That day wouldn’t be far away.

"Avery Jane, I will no longer protect you, not even a bit."

Joshua Hughes almost dragged her into the living room, ruthlessly tossing her onto the carpet. Avery Jane’s back hit the table corner, making her feel like her insides were about to explode.

Evelyn was sitting in the living room eating fruit, never imagining she would witness such a scene in her lifetime.

Joshua Hughes was dragging Avery Jane like a dead dog, throwing her harshly in front of Evelyn, close enough that she could step on Avery Jane’s face with a single move. But Evelyn had learned her lesson and dared not act recklessly.

She merely bowed her head, continuing to eat the fruit with her silver fork.

The housekeeper had already rushed in from behind. The servants said the young master had returned, looking very grim, seemingly having hit Miss Jane.

Hasn’t everything been fine these past few days?

What kind of trouble got stirred up again?

"Beauty brings misfortune," they say. Indeed, Miss Jane’s beauty is not something to be taken lightly.

"From today on, arrange proper work for her, no slacking off, whatever work needs doing, she does it."

Joshua Hughes leaned down, speaking softly in her ear as if the devil whispered, "Avery Jane, I’ve always been generous to the servants. You’ll repay your debt to me with your salary."

He just wanted her to know how hard life would be without him.

"Now take her to the servants’ quarters and arrange a separate room for her." Joshua Hughes smiled evilly, watching tears fill her eyes.

The servants’ quarters were at the very bottom of the castle, with only one small room left at the end, as the better rooms were all occupied.

The Hughes Family would never be harsh to the servants, but the rooms couldn’t be expected to be luxurious either.

A simple single bed, a wardrobe, and a small bathroom inside the room; Avery Jane took a look and found it acceptable.

She had lived in such small rooms before, but this room was damp, having been unoccupied for a while, with a slight moldy smell.

Avery Jane took a simple hot shower, tidied up her clothes. Her job was to help in the kitchen, as all other work had enough people, and a kitchen maid had burned her hand.

As night fell, Avery Jane found it hard to sleep. The bed and blanket were a bit damp, unlike the room she stayed in before, which had a large fireplace. Well-seasoned firewood burned warmly, occasionally crackling with small pops, sounding especially pleasant on a winter’s night.