Chapter 193: A piece of advice

Words : 1110 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Chapter 193: A piece of advice Patricia let out a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She, too, had once harbored dreams of seeing her daughter married into a life of comfort and wealth. But fate hadn’t been kind. Instead of a bright future, Lorie was now shackled to a cruel and powerful man. It was a situation far from what Patricia had ever imagined. "Mom," Lorie said firmly, pulling her from her troubled thoughts. "There is a way out. Robert is only keeping me because of the money we owe him. If we pay him back, he’ll let me go." Patricia’s eyes widened as anger and frustration flickered across her face. "Are you hearing yourself?" she snapped. "Where would we find that kind of money? I’ve already drained every last cent I had. That house you thought was yours – Robert already took it to cover the debt. We are left with nothing but this old place—and even if we sell it, it won’t fetch nearly enough." She reached for Lorie’s hands, gripping them tightly, desperation thick in her voice. "Lorie, it’s not as easy as you think. Be smart," she pleaded. "Yes, Robert is ruthless, but he is also powerful. He has money, influence. What you need to do is get close to him. Use your beauty, your youth—make him fall for you. Control him from the inside. Once he is hooked, you’ll have him wrapped around your finger. Then you can live the life you always wanted." Patricia’s eyes searched her daughter’s face, hoping to sway her. But all Lorie felt was a growing sense of suffocation. Her mother’s words only tightened the chains she was trying so desperately to break. Disgust twisted in Lorie’s gut at the mere thought of Robert, his round face and bulging belly making her skin crawl. The idea of seducing him, of playing sweet to trap him, was beyond revolting. "That’s not going to happen," she rejected her mother’s suggestion without hesitation. "I’ve found another way. I know exactly what I need to do to be free of him." Her eyes gleamed with purpose as she grasped her mother’s hands. With urgency, she recounted her meeting with Nathan at the hospital. "Anne’s parents are searching for her," she went on quickly. "And the pendant could be the key to identifying her. I can sell it to that man. That pendant could get me enough money to pay off Robert and finally walk away from this nightmare." But Patricia didn’t react with the hope or excitement Lorie had expected. Her face remained tense. "Where is the pendant, Mom?" Lorie asked with anticipation. "Give it to me." Patricia hesitated, then pulled her hands free and mumbled, "It’s not with me." Lorie blinked, confused. "What? What do you mean it’s not with you?" Her voice rose with alarm. "I... I sold it. A long time ago," Patricia said, waving a hand dismissively. In truth, she had gambled it away during a reckless night, but shame kept her from admitting it. "You sold it?" Lorie cried with disbelief. "Why would you do that? It was mine. I wore it all the time when I was a child." "I had no choice," Patricia snapped back defensively. "After your father’s accident, everything fell apart. You didn’t have a job. Anne was drowning in hospital bills, and I was trying to keep food on the table. I needed the money." Lorie staggered back, fury simmering in her chest. Her one shot at freedom was gone. "How could you sell it without telling me?" she snarled, her hands curling into fists. The pendant was her hope for the future, but it had been sold already—and with it, the escape she so desperately needed was gone. Patricia’s voice softened with regret as she tried once more to reason with her daughter. "Just listen to me. Robert isn’t someone you can shake off that easily. He is a mobster, Lorie. Even if we pay him back, he might not let you go. But if you manage to win his heart, he can give you everything you have ever dreamed of. Think about it—use your beauty, your charm..." "Enough," Lorie barked, her face flushed with rage. "If you are not going to help me, then at least don’t say things that make me feel sick." She spun on her heels and stormed out of the house. "Lorie, wait—" Patricia called after her, but the door slammed shut loudly. She sank back into the sofa, rubbing her temples in frustration. Her chest felt heavy from worry and helplessness. "I only want her life to be easier," she mumbled. "You don’t understand... Robert is your fate. The sooner you accept it, the less pain you will face." Lorie stomped down the pavement furiously. Her chest heaved with each step she took, and her muttered curses spilled out of her mouth. "Everything is a mess... and it’s all because of Anne," she seethed. "That witch tricked me. She was supposed to be with Robert, not me." Her fists clenched as tears of raw hatred slid down her cheeks. "She is living a luxurious life with Augustine, while I’m trapped in hell. I swear, Anne... I’ll make you pay. I’ll kill you if I have to." Just then, her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. She froze, staring at the screen. It was an unknown number. Her heart leaped to her mouth. ’Could it be him?’ Her mind immediately jumped to the man from the hospital. ’He said he’d call.’ But panic laced her thoughts. She had nothing to offer. If she told him the truth that she didn’t have the pendant, she’d lose her only shot. ’No,’ she told herself quickly. ’I’ll bluff my way through this and get him on the hook first.’ Her fingers trembled as she answered the call. "Hello?" "It’s me," came the rich, steady voice on the other end. "We met at the hospital yesterday. Remember?" Lorie swallowed hard. "Yes... yes, of course, I do." "Bring the pendant. I’ll be waiting for you outside the hospital." Her mouth went dry. "Uh... oh—sure. But let’s meet somewhere else. I have something else to tell you about Anne. How about we meet at a café near the hospital?" She wanted an opportunity to trap him, to lure him with her charm. After a moment of silence, Nathan replied, "Fine." She hung up, her heart pounding wildly with anticipation. Slowly, her lips curled into a wicked smile. "You’ll be mine," she whispered to herself. "Once you fall into my web, there is no way out."

Chapter 193: A piece of advice

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