"Joanne?" Seeing that Joanne Chase wasn’t responding, Grace Winslow couldn’t help but turn to look at her.

’If Joanne really plans to accept her fate, to give in and go back with them to get married and have children, there’s nothing I can do to stop her.’

’Everyone has the right to choose their own path. I have no right to interfere.’

Joanne snapped back to reality and looked at Grace Winslow, her eyes filled with despair. "Grace, do I even have a choice?"

"They’re my parents. Can I really defy them? Can I just ignore what they say?"

"I... I..."

Her face was a mask of despair; she felt as if all hope in her life had vanished.

In that moment, her thoughts turned not to resistance, but to death.

’If I die, it’ll all be over.’

’I wouldn’t have to accept this wretched fate.’

’I wouldn’t have to be controlled by anyone.’

’I wouldn’t have to lose my freedom, become a puppet, lose myself forever, and turn into a walking corpse.’

’If I died, there would be no more pain.’

Grace Winslow saw the despair and the wish for death in Joanne’s eyes, and her expression changed instantly.

Before she could speak, Mrs. Chase rushed over, grabbed Grace Winslow’s arm, and shoved her violently to the ground.

Grace Winslow fell to the ground. A large patch of skin on her palm was scraped raw, and it stung sharply.

She watched as Mrs. Chase grabbed Joanne by the hair.

Just then, Mr. Chase rushed forward, grabbed Joanne, and slapped her twice across the face.

Joanne’s face immediately swelled and turned red, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

But she was like a broken ragdoll, offering no resistance, her eyes vacant.

Grace Winslow watched in horror.

She knew that if no one could pull Joanne out of this hellhole today, her life would be ruined.

She would have no future, no hope. She might not even survive.

’What should I do?’

’What can I do?’

A thousand thoughts raced through Grace Winslow’s mind.

But she shot them down, one by one.

"What are you doing?"

Just then, a familiar voice rang out next to Grace Winslow.

She turned her head and saw Sean York standing nearby with his bicycle. He was staring coldly at Joanne’s parents and at Joanne herself, who was already covered in bruises.

Beside Sean York stood another, equally familiar figure—Archer Rhys.

Archer Rhys’s brow furrowed. He stepped forward and looked down at Grace Winslow. "Are you all right?"

Grace Winslow shook her head. She tried to stand on her own but found her injured hand was too weak to support her.

Archer Rhys offered his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she placed her hand in his.

Sean York had already wheeled his bike over. He threw it to the ground, ran over, and pulled Mr. and Mrs. Chase away, rescuing the battered Joanne.

"What do you think you’re doing? Do you know this is illegal? No one can force a woman against her will! Who are you people? Why are you beating someone up in public? Is there no law anymore?" Sean York shouted, shielding Joanne as he glared angrily at her parents.

Joanne stared blankly at the man standing before her.

He was tall and imposing. In that moment, he seemed like a mountain, shouldering all her fear, anxiety, and helplessness, making her feel safe.

Mr. and Mrs. Chase staggered back from the push. When they regained their composure, they pointed at Sean York and began to curse him out.

Sean York couldn’t quite understand what they were yelling, but he knew it was nothing good.

"Are you okay? Should I take you to the hospital?" he asked, ignoring the Chase parents and turning to check on Joanne’s condition.

Joanne shook her head, her eyes red-rimmed. "They’re my parents. They want to take me home and force me to quit school and get married. I... I don’t want to. I don’t want to get married. I want to stay in school..."

It was the first time Joanne had ever expressed her own desires so clearly.

She had an incredibly strong urge to be pulled out of this mire, to never have to return to that disgusting sludge.

No matter the cost.

She was willing to pay it.

She covered her face and couldn’t help but break down in tears.

Sean York was at a loss for what to do.

Mrs. Chase looked Sean York up and down, then whispered to Mr. Chase, "Old man, this guy looks pretty rich, don’t you think? You don’t think he’s the man who’s been keeping Joanne, do you?"

"If he can give us more money, maybe we should just..."

Hearing this, Mr. Chase’s eyes flickered as he considered whether he could sell his daughter a second time.

"Hey, kid! You like my girl?" Mr. Chase called out after a moment’s thought.

Sean York frowned and turned back to him. "What do you want?"

"You want to marry my girl? I can agree to that. Give me five thousand yuan, and I guarantee we’ll never bother her again. If you can’t come up with five thousand, then get lost and stop getting in the way of us taking our daughter home."

"From time immemorial, a child’s marriage has been decided by their parents! She’s our daughter, so she has to marry whoever we say. Not even the emperor himself could change that!"

Mr. Chase shouted, sticking his neck out, convinced he was in the right.

Sean York’s expression turned grim, and he barely restrained himself from getting physical.

But Joanne pushed him aside and walked up to Mr. and Mrs. Chase. "Are you even human? How can you be so shameless about selling your own daughter? I’d rather die than let you get what you want!"

With that, she spun around and ran headfirst toward a stone bollard by the gate.

"Joanne, no—!" Grace Winslow screamed. She wanted to rush over and stop her, but she was injured and completely helpless.

Fortunately, Sean York reacted quickly. Just as Joanne was about to hit the bollard, he yanked her back into his arms. "Don’t! Don’t do anything rash! I’ll marry you, all right? I’ll marry you!"

"Five thousand, right? I’ll pay it! But first, you have to sign a document cutting all family ties, as well as a written guarantee. You must promise to never bother Joanne again. From this day forward, you will have no relationship with her, and you may not harass her for any reason. If you agree to that, I’ll give you the five thousand."

Mr. and Mrs. Chase looked at each other, a flicker of regret in their eyes. ’We definitely asked for too little,’ they thought.

Just then, Archer Rhys stepped forward. "Trafficking your own children is illegal. This isn’t the dark ages anymore. Arranged marriages went out of fashion a long time ago. It sounds like you two are looking to spend some time in a jail cell to ’reform’ yourselves."

Archer Rhys had spent years on the battlefield and carried the hardened air of a soldier. The moment he spoke, the color drained from the couple’s faces.

Mrs. Chase was quick to recover. "What do you mean, trafficking? We’re making a reasonable request! Who marries off a daughter without a bride price? You expect to marry my girl without offering one? I didn’t raise her all these years for nothing, that would be a huge loss!"

Mr. Chase nodded along. "That’s right. Five thousand, and not a penny less. I already promised her to another family. They offered a two-thousand-yuan bride price, plus the ’three turns and a sound’!"

"Agree to my terms, and you’ll get your five thousand. Otherwise, the deal’s off."

Sean York urged, his face a mask of impatience.

Mr. Chase barely hesitated. "Fine, we agree. A document cutting ties it is."