CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 65: YVETTE ASTON IS HENRY JENNINGS’S BOTTOM LINE

Yvette Aston shook her head and said nothing.

Regret?

Of course, she regretted.

But regret was useless.

She didn’t regret not compromising with Henry Jennings in the past; she regretted... not dying in the year she was born.

"You rest first, I’ll make dinner." Yvette’s voice was very low, tainted with politeness and distance.

Henry Jennings frowned and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, lighting a cigarette.

Yvette’s current state was clearly not what he wanted.

But simply because she was Yvette Aston.

"Ben Ziegler, tell Lynn Chase’s agent that she’s been getting too arrogant recently. Let her calm down; no commercial activities or roles for at least six months," Henry said coldly.

On the other end of the phone, Ben understood that this meant Lynn would be shelved for at least half a year.

Just because Lynn provoked Yvette today.

"Understood, President Jennings."

After hanging up, Henry turned to look at Yvette busy in the kitchen.

Her hair was loosely tied up, her figure slender, her skin pale to the point of reflecting light.

From Henry’s angle, Yvette was truly beautiful, so beautiful that one couldn’t look away.

Six years ago, when Henry first met Yvette, he thought she was like a canary suited to being kept in a golden cage, displayed for admiration.

But now, Henry felt an impulse to hide Yvette away, make her belong only to him.

Hide her at home, away from anyone’s covetous gaze.

"The contract, are you sure you don’t want to take a look?" Tossing the cigarette butt, Henry walked into the kitchen, embracing Yvette from behind.

Yvette’s body stiffened, the knife in her hand almost falling on her foot, but Henry quickly grasped it.

"No need..." Yvette shook her head.

"I want you with me, not as a housekeeper..." Henry’s voice was deep and hoarse, repeatedly reminding Yvette.

He had a strong impulse towards Yvette, but at least in this regard, he would respect her choice.

Yvette numbly looked at the noodles in the pot, slowly lowering her hands.

"Henry, you shouldn’t lack women." Not that he should; he never lacked women.

"Nor do I lack a housekeeper." Henry released Yvette, leaning playfully against the countertop.

Yvette understood, Henry was the type of man who wanted something all the more if he didn’t have it, but once he truly got it, maybe he wouldn’t be so persistent anymore.

"Today... I saw Lynn Chase. She’s beautiful, dazzling, belonging to the kind of woman who shines no matter where she is." Yvette turned off the stove, facing Henry. "There’s no need to waste your energy on a woman like me; you won’t like it."

Compared to the radiant Lynn, she seemed too dim.

Yvette untied her apron, discarded it aside, unbuttoning her shirt one by one.

The scars on her body were startling, the bruises frightening.

Because her skin was fair, even after so long out of prison, they hadn’t completely faded.

Her wrists held countless scars from suicide attempts, very unsightly.

Far from perfect.

Men like Henry, their requirements for women were extreme, at least demanding flawlessness.

And she... was already a shattered ceramic piece, far too cheap.

Henry stood rigidly in place, fingers gradually clenching.

"Do you think someone like me would be valuable?" Yvette laughed self-deprecatingly, fearing she wouldn’t even be worth much on the street.

"Take good rest." After a long while, Henry spoke in a low voice. "Once you’ve made up your mind, find Ben to sign the contract. Use the money in the card as you please; if you need more, talk to Ben."

Henry turned around to leave, almost as if fleeing.

Seeing Yvette covered in bruises, his emotions were complex.

Yvette laughed self-deprecatingly, picked up the shirt from the floor, crouching down for a long while.

No man would find her appealing now.

If they knew the awful experiences she had gone through, they probably wouldn’t even want to look at her again.

What’s the point.

...

The Nightfall Club.

Henry left the residence, drinking alone at the bar.

"President Jennings..." Lynn heard Henry was drinking alone and entered the room, throwing herself into his arms coquettishly. "I know I was wrong..."

She had heard from her agent that Henry planned to put her in the cold.

She had been with Henry for three years, leaping from a small unnoticeable dance academy graduate to her current accomplishments, all because of Henry.

Although she had earned enough over these years, what woman wouldn’t love a man like Henry?

Compared to those women in the entertainment industry who sought sugar daddies, Lynn was practically lottery-winning level.

Other big bosses were either fat and greasy or had all sorts of peculiar fetishes. There were very few like Henry, handsome and playful.

Of course, Ethan Grant was every female star’s dream man too, but Ethan had a cleanliness obsession, never allowing any woman near.

"What was wrong?" Henry didn’t push Lynn away, asking in a low voice.

Lynn practically stuck to him. "I shouldn’t have provoked Yvette..."

"Get up." Henry told Lynn to stand up.

Lynn was puzzled but obediently stood in front of Henry.

"Take off the shirt." Henry’s voice was low.

Lynn hesitated, glancing around; the room was empty except for the two of them, but...

She gritted her teeth. After all, he was her sugar daddy.

Unbuttoning her shirt, Lynn took it off, actively trying to sit on Henry’s lap.

"Get lost." Henry cursed lowly, gulping down an entire glass of liquor.

As Yvette had said, Lynn was beautiful, flawless without a single blemish, her skin fair and unmarred.

But inexplicably, Henry’s mind was filled with Yvette...

"Henry..." Lynn felt somewhat wronged, not knowing what was wrong with her.

"Yvette is my bottom line. If you provoke her, I don’t mind letting you reintroduce yourself to me." Henry got up, adjusted his suit, and straight away left.

Lynn stared at Henry in shock.

After three years of being with him, she never knew any woman could become his bottom line.

Who exactly was this Yvette? She seemed quite ordinary.

...

Returning home, Henry tugged at his tie, glancing at the empty room.

Yvette should be asleep.

Passing by the dining table, Henry saw a bowl of vegetable noodles, the soup still warm and the noodles not clumped.

Clearly, Yvette had just cooked and left it on the table.

Instinctively glancing toward the guest room, Henry removed his jacket, inexplicably... finding the noodles very fragrant.

He surprisingly felt a bit hungry.

After eating a few bites of noodles, Henry raised his hand to cover his forehead.

Irritated, he ripped off his tie, threw it aside, and slammed a fist on the dining table, smashing the soup bowl to the ground.

In his mind, there were always the bruises and purple marks on Yvette’s body.

Five years, he let Yvette stay in prison for five years.

He watched helplessly as Jayden Grant and The Aston Family destroyed all her pride...

In the room.

Hearing the commotion, Yvette opened the door in panic and walked out, seeing Henry sitting at the dining table in disarray, clearly drunk.

Lowering her head to pour him water, Yvette crouched to clean up silently.

"Get up..." Henry’s voice was somewhat hoarse.

Yvette didn’t move, continuing to silently tidy up the broken fragments.

"I told you to get up!" Henry grabbed her up, trapping her between his arms on the dining table.

Yvette was frightened by Henry’s anger, her trembling hands trying to push him away.

Henry’s breath was hot, staring at Yvette, his voice raspy. "You can make demands..."

He hoped Yvette would depend on him; she could make any request.

No matter what she wanted, he could give it.