Her Marriage: The Night is Still Young-Chapter 203: I’ll See You Off

"Let hate be hate then."

Nathaniel Gallagher’s voice was as hoarse as if it had been scraped with sandpaper, the obsession in his eyes almost devouring, "At least this way, there’s still a place for me in your heart, even if it’s hate."

His hand brushed through her sweat-soaked hair, with a gentleness that was almost cruel.

Josephine Thompson suddenly turned her head, tears blurring her vision.

"Nathaniel Gallagher, you bastard..."

"Ah--"

An unexpected heavy blow.

The cries and pleas came to an abrupt halt.

He bent down and kissed her again.

This time, however, it was no longer as urgent as before; instead, it was with a fragility that seemed almost broken, as if kissing a treasure about to be lost.

Josephine’s struggles gradually weakened.

It was not compromise, but a deep-seated helplessness and faintness.

Nathaniel Gallagher was indeed a deranged demon, lethal and terrifying.

Not only did he want to forcibly conquer your body, but he also sought to seize your consciousness.

No matter how much you resist and reject, no matter how much you hate and blame him.

Once trapped by him.

You will no longer be yourself, becoming a puppet controlled by him.

"Nathaniel Gallagher, I hate you..."

Nathaniel’s kisses fell on her eyes, licking away the scorching tears, the salty taste spreading on his tongue, stabbing his heart with a sharp pain.

"Josephine..."

He called her name softly, with a tremor in his voice that he himself hadn’t noticed, "I just... love you too much."

"Hug your husband tight, like you used to say you love your husband."

The room was lit dimly.

Throwing the shadows of the two entangled on the wall, like a twisted and sad film.

The ending had already turned out tragic.

Yet there had to be a torturous epilogue.

Over and over again...

Until thoroughly broken.

...

Last time it ended.

It was already the following evening.

Come sunrise tomorrow.

Julian Grant’s private plane would come to pick her up.

Nathaniel Gallagher glanced at the time.

The time they could spend together was only a dozen hours.

Josephine had passed out from exhaustion.

Her disheveled hair was wet with sweat and clung to her cheeks and neck in strands.

Nathaniel bowed his head and kissed her forehead.

Looking at her sleeping face, he felt more reluctant to let go.

"Josephine, we won’t be apart for too long."

"You are mine; I won’t allow anyone to take you away from me..."

Nathaniel got up from the bed and walked barefoot to the window.

The night was thick and heavy.

The moonlight cast a cold white phosphorescence on the swimming pool, like countless staring eyes.

He drew a cigar from the pack.

The lighter’s flame flickered in the darkness, smoke swirling around, reflecting the dark glint and ferocity in his eyes.

He turned back to the curled-up figure on the bed.

Even in her sleep, her brows were furrowed tightly, as if still enduring immense pain and fear, her lips cracked and swollen.

"Julian Grant..." Nathaniel took a deep drag of his cigar, the smoke exhaled seemed to carry an ominous and eerie air.

"We’ll see."

After finishing the cigar.

He poured another glass of brandy.

The liquid gently swirled in the crystal glass, reflecting the cold-white moonlight outside, exuding a dangerous gleam.

Nathaniel tilted his head back to drink it all, the spicy liquid sliding down his throat, yet unable to suppress the violent storm surging in his heart.

He walked to the bedside, his gaze landing on Josephine’s pale face.

Her breathing was faint and weak, long lashes casting a shallow shadow beneath her eyelids.

"Josephine, you belong to me, Nathaniel Gallagher. This life, the next life, you can be only mine; no one can take you away."

After speaking, he pulled back the covers and returned to bed.

"...No... just let me go!"

"Be good, I’ll send you away at sunrise, just this last time, really the last time..."

...

Time slipped away gradually.

Nathaniel remained sleepless all night, feeling the time passing incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, it was already seven in the morning.

"Bang bang bang!"

The sound of knocking on the door rang out.

Nathaniel’s heart clenched, tightening his arms around Josephine.

"...Wake up, I’m keeping my promise to send you away."

Josephine’s whole body ached terribly, unable to get up from bed.

But hearing his words.

She still mustered all her strength and got up with difficulty.

"Ugh..." She attempted to get out of bed but uncontrollably fell back onto it.

Nathaniel felt a pang in his heart, stood up to help her, "Don’t rush, I said I’d let you go, I won’t break my word."

Josephine suddenly flung off his hand, her fingertips turning white from effort, her voice hoarse as if scraped by sandpaper: "I don’t need your false kindness."

She held onto the headboard, slowly standing.

Her legs felt like they were stepping on cotton, every movement pulling at the soreness of her entire body.

Her disheveled nightgown slipped from her shoulders, the exposed skin covered in bruises of varying depths, like a flower ravaged.

Nathaniel looked at the glaring red marks, his Adam’s apple moving several times before he turned his eyes away, a faint rasp in his voice, "I’ve had breakfast prepared, eat something before you go."

"No need." Josephine bent down to pick up the clothes on the floor, her movements slow and rigid, "I don’t want to stay here another second."

Her clothes were wrinkled, stained with traces from last night, wearing them felt like wrapping herself in thorns.

Nathaniel watched her clumsily button her shirt, her fingertips trembling, and eventually couldn’t help stepping forward, reaching out to help her.

"Get away!" Josephine shouted fiercely, like a porcupine bristling at a touch, "Don’t touch me!"

Nathaniel’s hand froze in mid-air, the pain in his eyes deepening further. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

He silently retracted his hand, stepped aside, and watched her stumble into the bathroom.

The sound of water splashing came.

Yet it couldn’t wash away the humiliation etched into her bones.

Josephine stood under the showerhead, letting the cold water soak her entirely, attempting to drive away those repulsive memories with the stinging chill.

The woman in the mirror looked ashen, her eyes clouded with an unfading deathly silence, as if half her soul had been extracted.

Half an hour later.

When she emerged from the bathroom.

Nathaniel had already changed his clothes, standing tall and upright in a crisp black suit.

Only the red streaks in his eyes and his desolate expression revealed his sleepless night.

"There’s a car waiting outside, I’ll take you to the airport." He offered her an exquisite briefcase, "Your belongings, I’ve had them packed."

Josephine didn’t take it, only looked at him coldly, "Where’s my grandpa?"

"Already on the way to the airport, he’ll be waiting for you there." Nathaniel’s voice was calm, devoid of emotion.

Only then did Josephine accept the suitcase, turning and stumbling out without a trace of reluctance.

Nathaniel followed behind her, watching her slender back, his heart feeling as though a piece had been hollowed out.

At the doorway, he suddenly spoke: "Josephine."

Josephine paused but did not turn around.

"Take care of yourself." His voice was gentle, laced with a rasp.

Josephine’s body shuddered almost imperceptibly, then she quickened her pace, pulled open the door, and stepped into the blinding sunlight.

As the car door closed.

She finally couldn’t help but curl up in the back seat, burying her face in her knees, the suppressed sobs finally broke through.

Sunlight streamed through the car window, shining on her, yet it couldn’t warm the heart long frozen.

Nathaniel stood at the villa entrance, watching the car disappear into the distance, until he could no longer see it, then slowly clenched his fist. The knuckles turned white, the veins on his hand bulging, the dark intent in his eyes nearly consuming him.