Blood Oath: Forever Yours

She could feel that her body was being pierced by something.

The feeling of acute pain was strange but familiar to her at the same time, and she subconsciously struggled with all her might to resist the intrusion while wanting to get up on her feet.

However, she could not manage to open her eyes, and both her arms and legs were pinned down by an overwhelming force as well. Her strength had failed her, and it was not long before she could feel hersel plunging into darkness again.

Charlotte was woken up by the plashing platter of steady rain in her ears and the bitter cold that had cut her to the marrow.

After she had opened her eyes with much struggle, she was instantaneously met with countless flashlights and numerous pairs of appalled and contemptuous eyes.

She was leaning against the outer walls of the Garcia Mansion at this moment, and her body had been drenched through with rain while she was dressed in disheveled clothes. The deep marks on her body that were the outcome of Lawrence's trample on her were increasingly obvious and glaring under the blinding lights.

Charlotte sat straight up immediately while glancing around in a fluster, and she finally realized that she was currently at the Garcia Mansion.

Who brought her here?

A small banquet was being held in the hall of the Garcia Mansion which was located not far away from her right at this moment under Evelyn's intention to cozy up to those with prestige and power.

It was still raining outside, so the guests whom had yet to enter the hall all had umbrellas over their head as they engaged in finger-pointing at her and exchanged murmurs in front of her.

"Isn't she Charlotte Garcia, the eldest daughter of the Garcia family? Hasn't she disappeared for the past five years? Why is she back now?"

"Obvious! It must be karma that she's in this current state! The story of her doggedly pursuing a poor young man was the talk of the town back then, but in the end, she shamelessly dumped him when she had gotten tired of him. I'm assuming she has been cast aside as well after being trampled on when she was gone for the past few years!"

"Man, look at the marks on her body. How aggressive it must have been to be able to leave traces like that."

Charlotte's face turned ashen when the crowd's peculiar gazes and slanderous rumors were shot at her ruthlessly. She opened her mouth to try to explain her circumstances, but her words were stuck in her throat instead as she was stumped to even know where to start. She could only help herself up by holding on to the wall for support while clenching her teeth tightly,

"Charlotte!"

Evelyn's exasperated shriek sounded from behind the gate of the patio all of a sudden. The gate was pushed open in the next second while she emerged with a few servants behind her, and all of them were carrying umbrellas over their head as they came trotting to where Charlotte was.

A loud ringing slap sounded soon after as Evelyn had slapped Charlotte in the face while she yelled, "Why come back? How dare you!"

Charlotte's face had swung to the side while she staggered a few steps backward from the impact, and her cheek was instantly burning with searing pain.

Evelyn stood in front of the flash lights with utter disappointment and wrath displaying on her face as she pointed at Charlotte's nose to berate her, "You had dumped your boyfriend whom was sincere to you regardless of my dissuasion back then, and you had overindulged in a promiscuous lifestyle while being a wanton woman all these years. You had even left with another man for five whole years in order to escape from your family's rein on you."

"Your father was struck with cerebral hemorrhage due to shock and fury over your behavior, and if I had not promptly sent him to the overseas hospital overnight, he would have left us then. We would not have been able to come this far if not for your brother whom is staying by his side while studying overseas, and if not for me whom have tried so hard to support the Garcia family on my own."

"And what about you? Has it finally occurred to you to come home after you have had enough with another man and being dumped? You have disgraced the Garcia family name!"

As soon as she had finished her castigation, she abruptly grabbed Charlotte by the collar under the cover of blinking flashlights and clamors of comments while whispering in her ear, "I believe you know very well the consequences if you do not cooperate with me, you little bitch!"

The soft pitter-patter of the rain that was coupled with the hubbub of voices bubbling up from the spectators and the increasingly blinding flashlights had overwhelmed Charlotte, and everyone's eyes were set on her while waiting for her answer.

Would she own up to all the accusations hurled at her by Evelyn? Or was there more to the reason behind her departure five years ago than met the eye?

Nobody knew that the happenings in front of them right now was being broadcasted live to Lawrence through one of the lenses on the scene at the same time.

He was seated in his office which was located on the top floor of the Financial Tower with his laptop in front of him, and his darkened eyes were fixated on the screen as if he was waiting for Charlotte's answer as well.

"Say something, Charlotte!" Evelyn prompted her impatiently.0000