Chapter 68: Augustine’s unexpected arrival

Words : 1205 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 68: Augustine’s unexpected arrival Anne quickly realized that crying wouldn’t help—no one was coming to her rescue. She had to find a way out herself. "Think, Anne, think," she urged herself, scanning the room for an escape route. But there was none. The only way out was the door, which was locked from the outside. She was completely trapped. Despite the suffocating despair, she refused to surrender. "I won’t let that man lay a finger on me," she vowed. Desperately, she searched for anything she could use to defend herself, but the room offered nothing useful. Tears welled up in her eyes as helplessness threatened to consume her. "No, no... I have to get out of here—I must," she whispered through her sobs. "Hey, who are you? What do you think you’re doing?" Patricia’s frantic shriek rang through the house all of a sudden, making Anne freeze in place. She turned sharply toward the door. "What’s wrong?" She moved toward the door, pressing her ear against it. A dull, sickening thud of a fist connecting the flesh echoed through the hallway, followed by a guttural groan. Anne’s breath hitched, and she instinctively backed away, clasping a trembling hand over her mouth. ’What’s happening out there?’ Her pulse pounded as fear and confusion tangled inside her. "Stop it, you bastard," Patricia screamed. "Get out of my house, or I’ll call the police... Hey! Give me my phone back." A loud clank-clank followed. "My phone! How dare you break it?" Patricia screeched, her voice reaching an almost hysterical pitch. Anne’s heart raced wildly. Mr. Robert was supposed to arrive soon—so who had barged into the house? Her gaze darted around anxiously, wondering what kind of new threat had arrived. Then, amidst the chaos, a familiar voice cut through the tension. "Anne..." Anne’s entire body jolted. "Augustine!" she gasped, barely able to believe it. How could he be here? Had she imagined it? Was her mind playing tricks on her in desperation? But then his voice came again, strong and urgent. "Anne, where are you?" A flicker of hope flashed across her face. It wasn’t an illusion—he was really here. "Augustine! I’m in here!" she cried, pounding on the door. Augustine’s head snapped toward the sound, and he rushed toward the locked room. Patricia, however, lunged forward, blocking his path with her arms stretched wide. "Who let you in?" she spat furiously. "You’ve invaded my house like some thug—get out right now." Augustine’s jaw clenched. His eyes darkened with cold determination. "Move aside," he warned icily. Patricia stood her ground, her defiance unwavering. "This is my house. You have no right to barge in here." Her furious gaze flicked toward the three men writhing in pain near the entrance. ’Useless fools!’ she seethed inwardly. Three sturdy men, and they couldn’t even handle one intruder? What kind of incompetent guards had Robert sent? Rage twisted in her gut. Snapping at them, she shrieked, "What are you waiting for? Grab him and throw him out of my house." Despite their pain, the men forced themselves to stand, preparing to fight once more. One of them lunged at Augustine, fist raised, aiming for his face. Augustine reacted swiftly. He lifted his long leg and delivered a powerful kick to the man’s chest, sending him flying backward. The attacker hit the floor with a heavy thud, coughing up blood. The remaining two men charged at him together. Augustine ducked, swiftly sweeping his leg across the floor, knocking one of them off balance. The man stumbled forward, crashing face-first onto the ground. Without missing a beat, Augustine spun around and delivered a brutal uppercut to the other man’s stomach. The blow knocked the air from his lungs, and he groaned in agony, collapsing onto the floor while clutching his midsection. Augustine straightened to his full height and turned his searing gaze on Patricia. She instinctively took a step back, fear gripping her. ’This man is too dangerous,’ her mind screamed. ’He could kill me in an instant... and I don’t want to die yet.’ Terror overtook her, and she trembled uncontrollably. This time, she didn’t dare stand in his way. "Augustine!" Anne’s voice snapped his attention to the locked door. The fury in his expression shifted to concern in an instant. "Anne..." He rushed to the door and grabbed the handle, realizing it was locked. He tilted his head to Patricia, his eyes turning cold and commanding. "Key," he ordered, stretching his hand toward her. With shaky fingers, Patricia fumbled for the key and quickly handed it over. Augustine wasted no time unlocking the door and pushing it open. The moment he saw Anne inside, the last traces of his anger melted away. Relief washed over him, softening his features. Anne ran straight into his arms, clutching onto him tightly. "I thought I’d never get out of there," she choked out. "I thought I’d never have a chance to see you again." He tightened his arms around her protectively. "That will never happen. No one will ever take you away from me." Anne gazed up at him, her tear-streaked face breaking into a relieved smile. "Thank you for saving me... again." Augustine didn’t waste another moment. "We need to get out of here." He scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the house. Patricia sank to the floor, her face drained of color. "It’s over... I’m ruined. What am I supposed to tell Mr. Robert?" As Augustine strode toward his car, Anne wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes never leaving his face. His deep-set eyes, sharp nose, and chiseled jawline made him impossibly captivating. The more she stared at him, the more she felt drawn to him. A thrilling realization struck her—he had come to rescue her. That meant he had never left for the office after their meal at the restaurant. "You followed me," she said, surprise evident in her voice. Augustine glanced at her but kept his expression firm. He had known Patricia’s nature too well—he had never wanted Anne to visit her mother alone. But rather than stopping her, he had silently followed her, waiting outside. The moment he heard her cries, he stormed into the house, knowing she was in danger. "Of course, I followed you," he said flatly as he opened the car door and placed her inside. "You insisted on coming alone to see your mother. That was disappointing." His tone turned slightly accusatory. "I figured I should meet her and tell her about our marriage myself. So, I came. But I never expected to find you in trouble instead." He tilted his head slightly, his eyes searching hers. Anne lowered her gaze, guilt flickering in her expression. "I’m sorry," she whispered. "I didn’t want to drag you into my family’s mess." After a brief pause, she confessed, "I’m not biologically related to the Clairs. My father took me in out of kindness when I was young. But my mother never accepted me." Her voice wavered as she looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "She abused me constantly—verbally, physically. And today... she tried to force me into marrying a widower against my will."

Chapter 68: Augustine’s unexpected arrival

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