Chapter 135

Outside the room, Georgia and Sheila listened as the situation unfolded. Alicia attempted to reach Joshua, but he pushed her away without hesitation. He handed his phone to Georgia. "Don't let her leave until I get back."

Georgia immediately obeyed, taking the phone and pocketing it. "Yes, Mr. Yates!" Alicia desperately tried to retrieve her phone, but Joshua shoved her back into the room and slammed the door shut, locking it. She pounded on the door, shouting threats, but Joshua ignored her; he had more pressing matters. He felt confining her for a day or two wouldn't alter the situation, but might alleviate some of her mounting frustration.

Lilliana noticed a red mark on Alicia's cheek upon entering. "Who slapped you?" she asked. Joshua, almost forgetting the handprint on his face, touched his cheek and quickly fabricated an excuse. "My father."

"Why would he hit you?" Lilliana pressed.

"A minor disagreement," he replied. "He's been unstable due to his illness, so I didn't take it personally."

Lilliana examined the mark closely. The delicate handprint suggested a woman, not a man. Though suspicious, she concealed her doubts, gently rubbing Alicia's cheek. Gina excused herself. Lilliana instructed her, "Bring me a glass of hot water first."

Gina nodded; the water had just boiled and was dangerously hot when she brought it. As she handed Lilliana the glass, she cautioned, "Miss Green, the water is very hot; be careful."

Preoccupied, Lilliana disregarded the warning. After massaging Joshua's face, she picked up the glass, yelping as the heat burned her hand. Joshua took her hand, kissing it softly. "Didn't she tell you the water was hot? Be more careful."

Already frustrated by the burn, Lilliana was further angered by his comment. "Who said the water was hot?"

"Calm down. Let me cool it down for you," he said.

Still smarting from the burn, Lilliana angrily summoned Gina. "It's boiling hot! How do you expect me to drink this?" she shouted.

Gina lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Miss Green. The water had just finished boiling, and I warned you."

"Stop making excuses!" Lilliana snapped. Intolerant of disrespect, she demanded Gina drink the boiling water immediately.

Gina's face paled. "Miss Green, please..."

Even Joshua felt this had gone too far. "Leave it. Why don't you tell her to get your favorite coffee and we'll leave it at that? Calm down!"

However, Lilliana was resolute. "Fine, but she still has to drink it first."

Gina pleaded, "Miss Green, the water is too hot. It will burn my throat."

"Oh, now you're worried? What if I had drunk it? Doesn't my throat matter?" Lilliana retorted.

Gina nervously fidgeted, too afraid to act. Lilliana's irritation mounted as she watched Gina's helpless fear. She resented Gina's tendency to play the victim. The more she looked at Gina, the angrier she became.

"Drink it now, or you're fired!" Lilliana demanded.

Gina remained motionless. This silent defiance was unprecedented. It was the first time Lilliana had seen Gina stand up to her.

Lilliana sneered, "What's wrong? Has Harley died? You still need money for his medical bills, don't you?"

Gina's eyes blazed with hatred. She could endure insults, but not a slight against Harley.

Lilliana grimaced. "Don't bother looking at me. I don't mind. I'm the one who keeps you and Harley alive. I pay you twenty thousand dollars a month. No one else would do it for you. So what's it going to be? Your pride or Harley's life?"

Joshua remained silent, letting Lilliana have her way. The light in Gina's eyes dimmed, yet she didn't move.

Lilliana stood, picked up the glass of boiling water, and threw it at Gina. Gina didn't flinch, seemingly unaffected by the pain.

Joshua noticed the redness on Gina's hand and addressed Lilliana. "That's enough. You've had your say." He then told Gina to leave.

Gina stepped forward, taking the glass. "I'm sorry. I'll get you another glass of hot water. It won't be scalding hot this time."

Lilliana scoffed. "Relax. I hired her to take the beatings. This is nothing," she told Joshua.

Joshua advised, "Still, be careful. Don't let this come back to haunt you. You don't want me to use this against you, do you?"

"Do you really think I would do that?" Lilliana scoffed again. "She only gets paid because she works for me. If anything happens to me, she'll be the first to suffer. Anyone could try to kill me, but not her."

Outside, Gina held the glass, staring blankly. She filled it halfway with hot water, diluted it with tap water, and set it aside. Ignoring the burns on her hand, she pulled out her phone and requested a portable recorder. It was time to help Alicia… and herself.