Seeing Bella’s miserable state, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, but his words remained cruel:

"I know your family has some assets. But think carefully about whether that pittance can withstand the pressure of Mason Enterprises."

"Yes, Linda hit you first, but so what? She is the woman I love, and I will take responsibility for everything she does."

He paused, his voice turning colder:

"So, learn a lesson this time. In the future, you’d better be respectful when you see Linda."

With that, he returned to Linda’s side, his tone softening:

"Are you satisfied now?"

Linda, however, pushed him away:

"You once said that anyone who bullies me, you would make them pay back a hundredfold. It’s only been one slap, why are you being so soft?"

She stared at Mason, "Is your love for me worth so little?"

She turned to leave, and Mason grabbed her immediately.

"Linda, why must you trample on my heart like this? What exactly do you want me to do?"

Linda looked back, triumph gleaming in her eyes.

"I don’t need a hundredfold. Ten times back will suffice."

Mason hesitated.

"Linda, you know she did my family a favor..."

"It seems you really can't bear to let her go." Linda shook off his hand. "Fine, I won't make it difficult for you. Let’s go our separate ways."

As Linda turned, Mason pulled her back once more.

His voice was filled with doting affection.

"Still the same temper, unable to stand a single grievance." He pulled her into his arms.

"The world is vast, but Linda is everything. I will hit her back for you; don't talk about leaving me ever again."

"We'll see how you perform."

Linda was finally satisfied and pushed Mason away.

"Then prove it to me."

Mason turned and approached Bella again.

Bella looked at Mason in disbelief.

"Mason, we have to visit Grandma in two days."

Mason didn't stop his approach.

"Bella, Linda is my bottom line. You brought this upon yourself."

Bella fought back with all her might, but as a weak woman, how could she be a match for a man who worked out year-round?

One slap, two slaps, three slaps...

By the time the tenth slap landed, Bella could no longer feel the pain.

She just looked at Mason’s familiar yet strange face, recalling every time in the last three years he had said, "My wife is not someone you can provoke," and suddenly felt that those words were more insulting than the slaps themselves.

Mason withdrew his reddened hand, his voice a bit raspy. "Linda, ten slaps. I’ve finished them for you."

Linda burst into tears of laughter and threw herself into Mason’s arms.

"You pass."

The fierce expression Mason had just worn suddenly softened.

"As long as you’re not angry."

Linda looked at Bella, her eyes full of provocation.

"Mason, look at her. Doesn't she look like a stray dog?"

"If you say so, then she is."

Mason finally looked at Bella again, his brow furrowed deeply.

"I’ll have the driver take you back. I’ll arrange for a family doctor to treat your injuries. As for Grandma..."

He paused, "Don't say anything reckless. Otherwise, you know the consequences."

Bella slid to the floor, leaning against the mirror, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, her cheeks swollen and bruised.

She watched as Mason carefully supported Linda as they left, as if she were some precious treasure.

The moment the door closed, the world fell into total silence.

She looked at herself in the mirror—disheveled and wretched, like a dead dog—and then... everything went black.

Before she lost consciousness, her last thought was:

"It turns out that in Mason’s eyes, I am worth even less than a dog."

Chapter 4

When Bella woke up, she found herself lying on the bed in the master bedroom.

Her cheeks throbbed with a stinging pain, and an ice pack and painkillers sat on the nightstand.

By the window, Mason stood with his back to her, smoking.

Hearing her stir, he turned around and stubbed out his cigarette. "Awake?"

Bella said nothing, only watching him.

Her swollen, painful eyelids struggled to lift; Mason’s face blurred slightly in her vision.

She suddenly recalled the first time she saw him three years ago—he had been just as aloof, distant, and high above her then.

For three years, they had lived in peace; she had even thought they were decent friends.

But in the end, she had been wrong. It was only her own naive belief.

Three years had passed, and nothing had changed.

Mason felt uncomfortable under her gaze and averted his eyes. "Bella, we lived in peace for three years. I didn't want things to end up like this between us, but Linda is my bottom line."

Bella finally spoke, her voice hoarse. "Is your bottom line just indiscriminate bias?"

Mason frowned. "Name your price, as compensation."

"I want that land. I want it now."

"No." Mason refused flatly. "Not before the divorce."

Bella knew why—that land was his final leverage against her.

"Grandma’s birthday is in a month."

Mason walked back to the window, his back to her, his voice devoid of emotion.

"After the birthday banquet, we will divorce according to the agreement, and the land will be transferred to you as promised."

Bella laughed sardonically. "Mason, you are truly a hypocrite. You talk of filial piety out of one side of your mouth while hurting the person who saved your grandmother’s life out of the other."

Mason’s expression darkened, but he didn't refute her.

"Fine." Bella compromised. For the sake of the land, she had no choice but to endure.

"You said it yourself—a million for a slap. Ten slaps, ten million. Transfer it now. Immediately."

Mason paused for a moment before taking out his phone to process the payment.

A few seconds later, Bella’s phone buzzed incessantly.

The notifications kept rolling in.

Twenty million.

Ten million more than he had requested.

"The extra is for your medical expenses and mental distress," Mason said, putting his phone away.

"Also, you need to release a statement—clarify the conflict at the banquet, stating that you were the one who provoked Linda. And apologize to the public."

Bella sat up abruptly, wincing in pain as she strained her injured face. She gasped for air:

"Mason, do you have any idea what I’ll face if I release this statement? Everyone will curse me, call me ungrateful, call me an ingrate, and nail me to the pillar of shame—"

"I know," Mason interrupted her.

"I know," he repeated, cutting her off. "But this is the fastest way to protect Linda’s reputation. She is the daughter of the Lin family; she has just returned to take over the business, and she cannot have a single blemish on her name."

Bella stared at him, speaking word by word. "What about me? What about my reputation? It clearly wasn't my fault."

Mason was silent for a moment before speaking:

"After Grandma’s birthday banquet, you will have no further connection to the Quinn family or this social circle. Take the money, return to your little hometown, and start over. Reputation isn't that important for someone like you. Ten million in compensation is enough for you to live worry-free for the rest of your life. It’s not a bad deal for you."

The rich love to use money to crush the spines of the poor.

In Mason’s eyes, his money was omnipotent when it came to Bella.

It could smooth over all wounds, buy off all humiliation, and silence the gossip.

"What if I don't release it?"

Mason’s gaze turned cold. "Then Mason Enterprises will immediately begin development on that ancestral land you’re so hung up on. The bulldozers will be on-site within a week."

Bella’s hands gripped the sheets until her knuckles turned white.

She knew Mason wasn't joking.

The image of the villagers weeping and kneeling in desperation was still fresh in her mind.

The cautious anticipation in her parents' voices over the phone, the look of admiration on her younger brother’s face when he said, "My sister is so amazing for saving the ancestral graves"—

All of this weighed heavily upon her.

Dignity?

Pride?

Before the weight of reality, they were worthless.

She compromised.

She looked at Mason. "I will release the statement. Now, get out."

Mason’s brow furrowed even deeper.

He wanted to say something, but in the end, he turned and left.

Bella was forced to release the statement.

Less than ten minutes after it went live, the comment section exploded.

"As expected, someone who climbed up from the bottom just doesn't have the class. Virtue doesn't match the status."

"I said it before—the life-saving favor should have been paid off with money. They shouldn't have married her into the family. Now they know the importance of matching backgrounds, right?"

"Poor Linda. Just returned to the country and got touched by a scheming woman like this."

"Get out of high society! You aren't worthy!"