The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 173

Lorraine watched as Gerald threatened her. The way he treated her was completely different from the way he treated Chad.

The entire Sommerton family treated her like their golden goose. Now that she didn't have any money, they began goading her into getting married.

In fact, Chad was the one who had forced her to meet me back then.

Then again, Lorraine never expected that she'd end up getting together with me.

"Mr. Sommerton, don't you think you've crossed a line by being rude to my wife right in front of me?"

I placed my hand on the back of Lorraine's neck. She seemed to have sweated a lot, for I could feel perspiration on her skin.

"What else do you want me to say?"

Displeased, Gerald turned around to produce a document that he had already prepared in advance.

"You never told me about your marriage. I've raised my daughter to be the woman she is today. How are you this shameless to deny me my rightful payment?"

At the end of the day, he just wanted money.

I smiled in the face of Gerald's greedy expression. "You want me to pay you? No problem."

Gerald perked up instantly. All traces of his lethargy dissipated on the spot.

"Cole, don't pay him!"

Lorraine grabbed me by the wrist instantly. I knew that if I were to pay Gerald this time, he'd ask for money from me again in the future.

She was worried about that possibility happening, so she moved to stand between me and Gerald.

"I'll deal with this matter on my own," she insisted.

We were already married, yet Lorraine was still being overly courteous with me.

"Am I not your husband?" I asked.

Only when Lorraine heard my question did she finally register the importance of our relationship. She shifted her body away, her eyes still filled with worry.

I knew that Gerald was provoking me on purpose because of the way he kept staring at me.

"Dad, you can't control my life like this!"

Lorraine had had enough of Gerald leeching off her after all this time. He didn't treat her like a human being at all—she was nothing but a product to him.

"Mr. Sommerton, you seem to have forgotten that I'm Lorraine's husband."

I waved a hand at Murphy. "If someone forces my wife into doing things that she doesn't want to do, I can always call the police on them."

"Go ahead and do that! I'd like to see whose side the cops are on! You can't even provide my daughter with the most basic privileges! What's the point of marrying you? Do you want her to suffer with you?"

"We're legally married. It has nothing to do with you, Mr. Sommerton. As for you…"

I chuckled icily while noting how shabby Gerald's clothes were. "You should mind your and your son's business. If you're obedient, I might be generous enough to spare some change for you."

Lorraine had suffered so much in her life previously. Now that she met me, I wouldn't give anyone else—especially her father—a chance to hurt her again.