Chapter 38
I clung desperately to the railing, but he pried my fingers off, one after another. The servants stood off in the distance, whispering amongst themselves. Not one of them dared step in.
My pajama top tore in the struggle, baring my skin to the icy air. Humiliation rushed back like a wave–the memory of last night, naked and punished in front of everyone. Christoph didn’t even flinch.
“So you’re still angry about last night,” he said coldly. “Fine. Be mad at me. But don’t take it out on others.”
“You’ll kneel right here and think about what you’ve done. When you finally understand your mistake, you’ll apologize to your sister–in–law. Don’t you realize that people will begin to think that the Raders couldn’t stand the sight of having a widower in their family?” With that, he threw me–hard–into the snow.
My knees slammed into the ice. The cold pierced through my thin pajamas like knives.\
“Christoph, I didn’t do anything wrong.” I clenched my teeth, shivering, refusing to comply.
He scoffed, then turned to the butler with a sneer. “Gather everyone. Let them all see how petty you are.“}
Within minutes, a dozen servants were lined up under the covered walkway, watching. I knelt alone in the snow, like a criminal awaiting her sentence.N
“Say it again, I dare you!” Christoph snapped. “If you’re so desperate for a man, I can hire a hundred of them to keep you company. But lay a hand on my sister–in–law again and you’re done.“}
His words cut deeper than if he’d stripped me naked and paraded me in front of a crowd.
This was the man I had loved for three years. The man I married and built a life with for five.
He could stomach other men seeing me bare. He could even stomach rumors of me sleeping around. Yet he couldn’t tolerate, won’t even think twice, about me upsetting the woman he truly cared about.”
Natalie stood smugly at his side, putting on that fake sweet voice she’d perfected, “Chris, let it go, okay? Gina probably just had a bad day…”
“Oh, so having a bad day gives her the right to hit people?” Christoph raised his voice, loud enough for the entire house to hear. “If she doesn’t apologize today, I don’t care if she passes out–she’s not getting up until she does!“}
Snow began to fall. Within minutes, my hair and lashes were coated in a frosty white sheen. My fingers were numb, my lips trembling uncontrollably from the cold.
Natalie took the opportunity to crouch beside me, pretending to be concerned. But her words were knives, whispered only for me to hear. “Did you know Chris said you’re not even worth a strand of my hair? That every time he touches you, he feels sick? Honestly, if I were you, I’d just die and get it over with.”}
I looked up sharply and caught the cruel smile in her eyes.”
Something inside me snapped. Rage boiled over. I grabbed a handful of snow and slammed it straight into her smug, pretty face.
Natalie suddenly let out a dramatic scream as she dropped to the ground like she’d been struck by lightning.”
That was all it took for Christoph to lose it. He grabbed the front of my pajama top, yanked it open and shoved me down into
the snow.
“Oh, so you still don’t want to admit your mistakes?“”
Before I could react, he scooped up a handful of snow and shoved it down the front of my shirt. The freezing cold hit me like a shock to the system. I let out a scream I didn’t even know was in me.
But he didn’t stop. He kept rubbing snow into my face, my neck–rough, relentless, until my skin burned from the cold.” “Apologize!” he barked.
I choked on a mouthful of snow, coughing violently, tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t get a single word out.” Furious, Christoph stood up and turned to the butler. “Two hours. Start the clock. She doesn’t move until time’s up.“} Then, as if none of it had just happened, he gently took off his coat and wrapped it tenderly around Natalie’s shoulders. “Come on,” he said softly. “Let’s go inside before you catch a chill.“”
The two of them turned and walked away as if I didn’t exist. Their backs burned into my vision like a slap to the face. Around me, the servants whispered. Some giggled. Others just stared with that look–pity, like I was already halfway gone.< Time dragged. The cold seeped deep into my bones. My knees had long since gone numb. I could feel myself swaying, losing control, until finally, I collapsed face–first into the snow.
“Madam!” Someone shouted in panic.!
The door creaked open. Christoph enetered the room while fixing his cold gaze at me.”
My Husband after Marrying Another Woman
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“Have you figured out what you did wrong yet?“#
