Silly Bride

Chapter 246
Christopher nodded while wearing a poker face. “I got it, Hal. I won’t stoop to her level. I’ll put up with her for now.” Harold
grunted in response. “If you wish to attain great success, you must be willing to let go of the trivial matters. Don’t worry. I’ll
definitely compensate you handsomely for your sufferings as you serve her.”Winnie deliberately dawdled for some time before
returning.She took two sips of her juice before asking Harold, “So, have you made up your mind, Mr. Horton? Will you accept my
suggestion?”Harold smiled in silence. Then he took the initiative to stand up and refill her glass.He poured the juice into her
glass until the content overflowed and stained her clothes.It was obvious that he did that on purpose. Yet, he pretended to have
done that accidentally and offered an insincere apology.“Oh, I’m sorry, Ms. Vivian. I accidentally overfilled your glass. I have no
doubt this juice tastes good, and everyone is fond of delicious drinks. But one shouldn’t be too greedy. Otherwise, not only will
they fail to get a taste of the juice, but the juice may even dirty their outfit.”He took another clean glass and poured the juice into
it until it was a third full.As he handed Winnie the fresh glass of juice, he said, “Just like this. This amount is just nice. I’m willing
to split one third of the profit with you, and that’s the limit.”“Is one third your limit, Mr. Horton? Can’t you let me earn a little more?”
Winnie asked him without showing any inclination to receive the glass.Harold curled his lips into a smile and forcefully placed the
glass in front of her.“That’s right. One third is the maximum. I cannot make any more compromises. If you’re unsatisfied with my
offer, you may walk away now, Ms. Vivian. However, once you leave my sight, I cannot guarantee you’ll be unharmed.”Winnie
sneered. “Looks like I have no choice but to agree.”Harold chuckled. “It’s fine if you want to put it that way, Ms. Vivian.” He
pondered briefly before adding, “Actually, one third should be sufficient for you, so why should we turn this situation into an
unpleasant one?”“Really?” Winnie arched her brows at him. “In that case, I’d like to ask how many factories you have and how
expansive your business is, Mr. Horton. You haven’t even informed me of these details, so how do you expect me to gauge if one
third of the profit will be enough for me?”Harold grimaced slightly. “Aren’t you being a little too curious, Ms. Vivian?”Harold was
not the only one who knew how to rearrange his facial expression as Winnie managed to wear an even more discontented
countenance than him.“Mr. Horton, how many times do you want me to emphasize this to you? We are in the process of
discussing a mutually beneficial collaboration, and I am not your subordinate. I’ll feel insecure if you don’t divulge these pieces of
information to me, and if I don’t have a sense of security, this cooperation cannot proceed.”With that, she pushed her chair back
and got to her feet. “It seems that we’ll never reach a conclusion today. I’m tired, and I want to go back to rest now. You can
come and find me for further discussion after you make your decision, Mr. Horton.”Harold suppressed his anger. The last person
who had dared to behave so arrogantly in front of him was already in his afterlife.Nonetheless, he contained his temper as he
said, “Okay. Let’s go back, then.”Winnie made a low inarticulate sound in agreement without sparing Harold a glance.However,
after taking two steps toward the door, she suddenly turned her head around to look at Christopher in displeasure. “What are you
still standing there for? Hurry up and get moving.”Christopher remained silent. He clenched his fists as his facial expression
stiffened and darkened.Harold immediately shot Christopher a look when he noticed the latter staying still.Only then did

Christopher follow her.However, Winnie suddenly changed her mind right after they got into the car. “Let’s not go back. Drive me
to Lightspring. I want to find a place to relax.”Of course, the driver would not listen to her order. Just as he was about to retort,
she added, “You can seek permission from Mr. Horton. I don’t mind if he wants a few more people to escort me. After all, my
safety should be prioritized.”I must have the worst luck for being assigned to be her chauffeur. If I do as she suggests and
infuriate Mr. Horton with my question, I won’t be able to leave here alive.Then, the driver suddenly thought of a brilliant solution.
He turned to enquire Christopher’s opinion. “Chris, what do you think about this...”Christopher knitted his brows. “Stop the car. I’ll
go down and ask Mr. Horton.”The driver brought the car to a halt, and Christopher immediately got out of the vehicle to find
Harold.Harold’s face turned somber after he listened to Christopher’s account.“That woman is beyond greedy. She must be
planning to meet up with the other two because she didn’t get her way here. Allow her to go, but make sure to keep an eye on
her. I’ll give her the opportunity to leave, but I’ll make her see the fact that no matter what she does, there’s no way for her to
escape my control. Bring a few more men with you and let her experience the feelings of making futile attempts to strike up a
deal with the other two. I’d like to see if she’s truly so ungrateful.”Christopher nodded. “Okay, Hal. I understand.”A few moments
later, he returned to the car, and after glancing at Winnie, he said to the driver, “We’ll follow Ms. Vivian’s instruction and send her
wherever she wants to go.”She took a quick look at Christopher before uttering, “Looks like Mr. Horton is a considerate person,
after all. I told you my body was aching and requested you to give me a massage, yet you refused me. Since you’re unwilling to
fulfill my wish, let’s find a place with a professional masseur to service me.”Instead of replying to her, Christopher said to the
driver, “Let’s go to the usual place on Lightspring Street.”“All right!” the driver responded and immediately stepped on the
accelerator.Winnie did not say anything after that but gently tapped the ring on her left ring finger.She knew Xavier was
constantly monitoring her every move. Now that she had confirmed Riley’s location, they had to devise a plan to rescue him. The
three taps on the ring were a signal to let Xavier know that they should meet up.Christopher has just said the address—
Lightspring Street. I believe Xavier will be able to locate the massage place.Meanwhile, Xavier had received the message from
Winnie.After doing some research, he quickly zoned in on a spa located on Lightspring Street and led some men to hurry over to
that place.Approximately an hour later, Winnie and the others arrived at the spa on Lightspring Street as well.Aside from Winnie,
Christopher, and their driver, another two men also tagged along.The five of them entered the spa flamboyantly.The receptionist
was very friendly and seemed to be well-acquainted with Christopher and the others, especially with the driver.The driver took
the initiative and said, “Christopher, Ms. Vivian, there are a few masseur here with extraordinary skills. Why don’t we just pick
them?”Winnie glanced at the driver and sneered. “I’m already escorted by four of you even when I’m out. Do I need to be
assigned with your masseur as well when I want to relax at a spa?”The driver replied, “That’s not what I meant, Ms.
Vivian.”Christopher furrowed his brows. “Aren’t you being too paranoid, Ms. Vivian?”Winnie rolled her eyes at Christopher. “I am
paranoid. Do you have a problem with that?”With that, she walked toward the front desk and said to the staff, “Prepare a quiet
room and pick a random masseur for me. Whoever is available as long as they are not the ones who usually serve him. Do I
make myself clear?”The receptionist chirped, “All right, Miss. My colleague will show you to the room.”“Great!” Winnie wore a

pompous look and strode ahead, leaving Christopher and the others behind.When she turned a corner, she saw a familiar face
nearby. If I’m not mistaken, that should be Xavier dressed in a masseur’s uniform.Winnie was thrilled to see him there, but she
suppressed her urge to sneak another look at him and simply disregarded his existence.Soon, Winnie entered a private
room.Christopher and the driver followed her into the room while the other two men stood outside to guard the door.From the
looks of it, it seemed that they weren’t going to let even a fly enter the room without their permission.Nonetheless, Winnie had
faith in Xavier and was confident he would find a way to get into the private room.As she expected, less than five minutes later,
Xavier, pretending to be a masseur, stepped into the room.Winnie glanced at him indifferently and ordered, “Bring a tub of water
here to wash my feet.”“Okay, Miss.” Xavier had evidently done his homework before coming to that place.He took out a wooden
foot tub from underneath the massage table and grabbed a sheet of new single-use plastic cover from the cabinet. Then he
covered the wooden tub with that plastic cover.He did all that with great skills as if he was truly a masseur at that place.At that
moment, aside from the driver, everyone else inside the room was on the same team. Therefore, their immediate task was to get
rid of the driver and for a long period at that.Asking him to go out and buy some drinks would not be practical as he would
probably return after a maximum of five minutes.At that thought, Winnie made a decision and pushed Christopher down on the
massage table.She straddled his body and caressed him, slowly moving her hands down from his forehead.While touching him,
she said, “I gave you so many chances to have me, you jerk, yet you repeatedly rejected my offer. How ungracious of you. Are
you going to refuse me again today?”The driver was dumbfounded when he saw that. I can’t believe she’s so bold and
desperate! Is she going to do this in front of so many people?Xavier, who had his back facing Winnie and Christopher while he
filled the tub with water, tensed up.He didn’t need to turn his head to figure out what Winnie and Christopher were doing.At that
instant, Xavier had the overwhelming urge to separate the two, but he knew he couldn’t do that. I must endure this!He took a few
deep breaths and dug his short, blunt fingernails into the tub, leaving a few scratches on the wooden surface.While Xavier tried
his best to calm himself down, Winnie and Christopher continued with their act as they had yet to chase the driver out of the
room.“You’re such a lustful slut, Ms. Vivian. Are you that impatient to offer yourself up to me?”Christopher snickered. Then he got
up and pinned Winnie underneath him.The next second, the sound of clothes being torn apart reverberated in the air.Still, Xavier
did not look back. He knew if he turned around and lost control of his temper, he might place Winnie’s life in danger, so he kept
his emotions in check.The driver, on the other hand, could not stop himself from peeking at Winnie’s figure. However, before he
could see anything, she splashed with him a cup of hot tea.“What the f*ck are you looking at? Who do you think you are to look
at me? Get the hell out of here and guard the door! I’ll gouge your eyeballs if you dare to sneak another look!”Under such
circumstances, her request was entirely reasonable.Moreover, the driver was drenched in tea. Even if Winnie did not kick him
out, he would have to find someplace to clean himself.Nonetheless, he felt disgruntled for being chided by her, so he vented his
anger at Xavier.“Why are you still standing there? Are you blind or deaf? Get the hell out of here!”Xavier paused for a few
moments before he spun on his heels. However, after he took two steps forward, Christopher piped up, “You, the masseur, stay
here and wash her feet.”Xavier stopped abruptly.Winnie booted Christopher. “What do you mean by that? Are you making fun of

me?”Christopher snorted coldly. “Hah. Excuse me. You may not care about your reputation, but I do. I’ll never do it with you so
casually in this place. How are we different from beasts if we behave in this manner?”“Did you just call me a beast?” Winnie
picked up an ashtray and chucked it at him. “You should get lost too!”“I’m sorry. Mr. Horton told me to stay by your side at all
times. No one can command me except him.”After that, Christopher said to the driver, “You can leave first to clean yourself.”The
driver nodded. It’ll be sufficient for Chris to guard this woman alone. Besides, there are two more of our men standing outside.
My presence here is unnecessary.Following the driver’s departure, the three of them were the only ones left in the room.Winnie
was lying on the massage table while Christopher was standing beside her.Xavier was at the limits of his patience. He strode up
to Christopher and punched him in the face.Christopher staggered backward and slammed into a cabinet, but he didn’t make a
sound.When Xavier recalled Winnie’s current appearance, her clothes disheveled and one side of her shoulder exposed, he
could not stop himself from raising his arm again.Seeing that Winnie hastily stopped him, “Don’t do this, Xavier.”Xavier turned to
look at her, his eyes bloodshot.Winnie had wanted to persuade him, but after taking in his anguished demeanor, she could not
help but feel remorseful.She uttered gently, “I’m sorry. That was my idea, and I took the initiative. This is how I need to behave to
live up to my character. You shouldn’t have punched Christopher. Why don’t you hit me instead to let out your wrath?”Xavier
scrunched up his brows. “Are you kidding me? How can I ever hit you?”With that, he turned around, grasped Christopher’s collar,
and said through gritted teeth, “Nevertheless, you’re not allowed to rip her clothes. You cannot do that! I would have never let
you off the hook if it weren’t because of the special circumstances we’re in right now.”“I know.” Christopher wiped the blood off
the corner of his mouth. “That’s why I didn’t retaliate. But I had no choice but to do that. We cannot waste any more time arguing.
There are two more men standing guard outside.”Only then did Xavier loosen his grip around Christopher’s clothes and resume
washing Winnie’s feet.Relying on the sound of the water to cover their voices, they began discussing in an undertone.Their topic
of discussion at that time was their plan to rescue Riley.Winnie and Christopher had a tacit understanding during the
conversation. However, there were times when Xavier could not express his thoughts.Xavier could not even understand the code
words used by Christopher and Winnie.Taking in their interaction and imagining the two of them spending so much time together
at the Horton residence, Xavier suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.Discontent filled his chest, and he even began to feel
jealous of Christopher.