When Pain Becomes Silence Chapter 2

Ten bottles of Louis XIII.

For a healthy person, that would be a deadly amount.

Even more so for me, a terminal stomach cancer patient.

The doctor had warned me.

My stomach couldn't even handle a single drop of anything spicy now.

Drinking alcohol was suicide.

I looked up, peering through my messy hair at Channing.

His expression was cold and resolute, with no hint of joking.

"Mr. Sterling, I… I can't drink."

I pleaded humbly.

"I'm not feeling well. Could you… perhaps give me a different punishment?"

"Not feeling well?"

Channing sneered.

"Scarlett, stop with your hypocritical games. When you pushed Serena down the stairs, did you ever think about how *she* felt?"

"When you took five million dollars to dump me, did you ever think about how *I* felt?"

Raking up old wounds, every word stung my heart.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain.

I wanted to say that it wasn't me who pushed Serena; she rolled down herself to frame me.

I wanted to say that the five million was to save *his* life when he was in the ICU.

I gave all the money to the doctors.

I had to sell my blood to cover the subsequent expenses.

But what good would explanations do?

In these three years, I had explained countless times.

But all I got in return was his deeper disgust and more brutal beatings.

"Not going to drink, huh?"

Channing lost patience, signaling to the bodyguards nearby.

"Force it down her!"

Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward, grabbing my shoulders.

The icy liquor was forcibly poured down my throat, making tears stream down my face as I choked.

The burning liquid flowed down my esophagus into my stomach, instantly causing violent cramps.

Agonizing, heart-wrenching pain.

I struggled desperately, but I was no match for their strength.

One bottle, two bottles…

Until the fifth bottle was forced down.

I finally couldn't hold it in and threw up.

The vomit was mixed with startling bright red.

Inside the lounge.

Some guests looked at the blood on the floor with uncertainty.

"Oh my god, she's spitting blood…"

"Is it real? Or is she faking it?"

Channing looked at the pool of blood, his brows furrowing slightly.

An almost imperceptible flicker crossed his eyes.

But the next second, Serena's horrified voice rang out:

"Oh! What's going on? Scarlett, did you prepare a blood bag beforehand to scare Channing?"

"I saw you use that trick before, when we were on set…"

One sentence instantly dispelled all of Channing's doubts.

The flicker in his eyes vanished, replaced by an even more intense mockery.

"Scarlett, you've really grown some nerve. To avoid punishment, you'd stoop to such disgusting tactics."

"It seems these years in jail, you learned nothing else, but your acting skills have certainly improved."

He stood up and walked step by step towards me.

He crouched down, savagely pinching my chin.

"Since you love acting so much, I'll give you a chance to put on a show."

"Lick up what's on the floor."

I stared, wide-eyed, disbelievingly at him.

The twisting pain in my stomach made my whole body tremble, cold sweat had already soaked through my clothes.

But the pain in my heart was a hundred times worse than my body's.

This was the man I had loved for ten years.

This was the man I had saved.

Willing to ruin my hands, willing to bear scorn, willing to sacrifice my health.

"Channing… just kill me."

I closed my eyes in despair, tears tracing paths down my temples.

"Kill you? That would be too easy for you."

Channing gave a cold laugh, throwing my face away.

He pulled out a wet wipe and fastidiously cleaned his hands.

"Serena is someone *you* can bully? You'll kneel here tonight until morning."

"If you're even a minute short, I'll have your brother's ventilator turned off."

With that, he scooped up Serena and walked out of the lounge without a backward glance.

His group of awful friends also followed suit.

Before leaving, they didn't forget to spit on me and kick me a few times.

The lounge finally fell silent.

I curled up on the cold floor.

Unable to help myself, I vomited large mouthfuls of blood.

The bright red blood stained the white fur of the bunny girl outfit.

I shakily pulled out the crumpled lab report from my pocket.

Looking at the word "terminal" on it, I let out a bitter laugh.

Channing, you win.

This life, I probably can't ever repay the debt I owe you.

But it was clearly… *you* who owed me a life.