My Bratty Wife
Chapter 90 - Ninety

Chapter 90: Chapter Ninety

Suzy followed the bartender through the dimly lit corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and sweat, and the sound of muffled voices echoed from behind closed doors.

They came to a door, and the bartender knocked. A deep, masculine voice called out, "What is it?"

The bartender responded, "Someone wants to speak to you."

There was a pause, then the voice said, "Send them in."

The bartender gestured for Suzy to enter, then closed the door behind her.

The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from a single lantern on a desk. A man sat behind the desk, a cigar clenched between his teeth. He was older, with a face that told stories of a life lived hard. His eyes were cold and calculating, and Suzy felt a shiver run down her spine.

"What do you want?" the man demanded, his voice rough.

Suzy took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "I’m looking for Mr. Hugh," she said, her voice steady.

The man raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on her. "And why would you be looking for him?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Suzy hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "It’s a personal matter," she replied, her voice low.

The man leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "This is a private establishment, young lady," he said, his voice cold. "If you’re not here seeking for a job, I advise you leave. We don’t appreciate people wasting our time."

Suzy felt a surge of anger. She was here to find answers, and she wasn’t going to be intimidated. She pushed a hefty sum of gold coins in a pouch towards him. "I’m not wasting your time," she said, her voice firm. "I need to speak to Mr. Hugh, and I won’t leave until I do."

The man studied her for a long moment, his eyes never leaving her face. Finally, he nodded. "Sit down," he said, gesturing to a chair.

Suzy sat down, her heart pounding in her chest. She was in the heart of darkness, and she didn’t know what to expect.

The man dragged on his cigar, the smoke filling the room. "You seem to have substance I will tell you that. I’m Mr. Hugh," he said, his voice gruff. "Who’s asking and What do you want?"

Suzy took a deep breath. "I’m Alice and I’m looking for someone," she said, her voice steady.

"And who might that be?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing.

"The gardener who worked at Count Edmund’s manor twenty-three years ago," Suzy replied.

The man’s face turned hard. "He’s my brother," he said, his voice low. "What do you want with him?"

Suzy felt a surge of hope. She was getting closer to the truth. "I need to talk to him," she said, her voice firm.

Mr. Hugh’s expression darkened. "If this is about Count Edmund’s mistress, I suggest you leave," he said, his voice cold. "Leave and don’t come back."

Suzy was taken aback by his response. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

Mr. Hugh took another drag of his cigar, then exhaled slowly. "If you want answers, go to that house and ask that man about all the atrocities he had committed," he said, his voice filled with hatred. "He destroyed my brother’s life for a small mistake he committed and I’m not going to put him in danger in anything relating to that family anymore."

Suzy’s heart sank. She came all this way, dressed like this in the middle of the night to a place where she has never imagined herself to be in even in her own world to be told ’NO’, to be rejected.

Suzy pleaded, a lump forming in her throat "Please" she said, her voice shaking. "I just want to know what happened to my mother."

The man’s eyes widened in surprise. "Your mother?" he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief.

Suzy nodded, her eyes filled with tears. "She was the Count mistress as you put it," she explained. "She disappeared twenty-three years ago. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive."

The man sat in silence for a long moment, his mind racing. Finally, he spoke. "Okay," he said, his voice low. "I’ll give you his address, but you have to go alone."

Suzy nodded, understanding the implicit warning. She needed to be cautious.

He scribbled an address on a piece of paper and slid it across the table. "This is where you’ll find him," he said, his voice low.

Suzy took the paper, her heart pounding with anticipation. Finally, she was getting closer to the truth.

She stood up, ready to leave. "Thank you," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Cleaning the pretense tears that stained her cheeks, she left the office reaching the exit. A hand grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face a drunken man, the same man she met earlier. He looked at her with lustful eyes, his grip tight on her arm.

Suzy struggled to break free, but his grip was strong. She knew she had to be careful, to avoid causing a scene. She needed to get out of there without attracting too much attention.

Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice sweet and innocent.

The man leered at her, his eyes never leaving her body. "You look like you could use a good time," he slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol as he goes to touch her neckline, his fingers tracing her skin as he attempts to touch her breast " did you think about my offer?" He said as his breath touched her skin. She responded by giving him a resounding slap.

" How dare you think of me like that or even touching me." She said, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

He was taken aback and takes hold of her wrist to stop her next attempt. "Who do you think you are slapping me? Don’t forget who you are. You are nothing but an object for pure satisfaction"

He grumbled lowly, still holding her wrist firmly as he returned the slap she gave him. With the other hand that wasn’t on her wrist, he traced the red mark on her check. "You stubborn whore." He said. "If you don’t want to get laid why are you here. The more you resists me the more you make me want you."

As he continued his demeaning talks, a low, dangerous voice cut through the air. "Let her go."

Suzy and the man both turned to see Noah standing in the doorway, his face etched with fury. Behind him was Ryan, his expression more menacing.

The man, undeterred, held onto Suzy’s wrist tighter. "Find yourself another woman," he sneered, his voice thick with arrogance. " This one is mine."

Ryan’s patience snapped. He lunged forward, his fist connecting with the man’s face. The man stumbled back, his grip on Suzy loosening. With a swift motion, Ryan pulled Suzy away from the fallen man.

"Which hand did you use to touch her?" Ryan growled, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes were filled with a rage that was both terrifying and exhilarating as he proceeded to breaking his fingers one after the other.

Suzy watched the chaos unfold, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never seen Ryan like this before, his anger terrifying yet strangely exhilarating.

The man, now on the ground, tried to rise but screamed in pain. He looked at Ryan with a mix of fear and defiance. "She’s a whore," he slurred, his voice thick with alcohol. " An plaything, look around they are all the same. Why are you being protective?"

Suzy’s blood boiled. She couldn’t believe the audacity of this man. How dare he speak to her like that?

Before Ryan could bring out his pistol to inflict more damage, Suzy intervened. "Stop," she said, her voice firm. She didn’t want to see any more violence.

Ryan looked at her, his anger slowly subsiding. He knew she was right. They had to get out of there.

With a final glare at the fallen man, Ryan turned to Noah, his face etched with determination. "Handle this," he ordered, his voice low. "Make sure this doesn’t become public knowledge. I don’t want scandals."

Noah nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I’ll take care of it," he replied, his voice firm.

Ryan continued , his anger returning slowly. "When you’re finished here, take the horse back to Carleton," he ordered, his voice low. "And prepare for your punishment."

Noah nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He knew that Ryan was furious, and he was ready to face the consequences of his actions.

"As you wish, Your Grace," he replied, his voice filled with respect.

Ryan turned to Suzy, who was still visibly shaken by the events of the evening. "We’re going home," he said, his voice harsh. He reached out and grabbed her hand pulling her towards the direction of the exit, his touch stinging but surprisingly gentle.

"Let’s go," he said, his voice low.