Sarah's eyes were swollen with sorrow and despair, a heartbreaking sight that Ray had never seen in the past three years. As he stumbled out of the room, his mind was in a daze, trying to process the gravity of the situation. But he quickly regained his senses and chased after her, determined to help in any way he could.
"Sarah, please don't go. Let me handle everything," he pleaded as he caught up with her in the corridor. But Sarah remained steadfast, her resolve unshakable as she turned off her phone and strode confidently into the elevator.
Back in the living room of the Peters's, Joanna's rage was palpable as she lashed out at Ray, blaming him for not doing enough to help. Her words stung, and Sophia's badgering only made things worse. Ray fought to free himself from their grasp, but not before Joanna scratched his face, leaving him bleeding and shaken.
With no time to waste, Ray took the staircase and rushed outside, only to see Sarah's red car disappear into the distance. He hailed a cab and followed her to the Sunrise Heritage Resort, the most luxurious seven-star hotel in Austria.
When he arrived, Sarah was already in the elevator, headed for the penthouse. Ray's heart raced as he called her, hoping to explain himself and offer his support. But all he got was a cold message: "I'm sorry. The person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time…"
He waited with bated breath for the next ride, his heart racing with anxiety. As he stepped into the elevator, he tried to collect himself, but his mind was in turmoil. "How could she choose to sleep with him rather than trust me?" he muttered to himself, feeling hurt and betrayed. "Am I really that unreliable in her eyes?"
Taking a deep breath, he tried to push his thoughts aside. "Never mind," he told himself firmly. "If she's already in James 's room by the time I reach the penthouse, I'll just turn around and walk away."
As the elevator doors opened, Ray peeked out nervously. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Sarah standing in the corridor, looking hesitant and troubled in a light-yellow dress. She raised her hand several times to ring the doorbell of the Presidential Suite, but each time she hesitated and eventually gave up.
Finally, as if she had made up her mind, Sarah stamped her feet and turned to leave. But just as she was about to go, the door to the Presidential Suite opened quietly, and a tall man with wet hair came out in a bathrobe. It was James , and his sinister eyes kept glancing at her chest, betraying his lustful intentions.
Sarah panicked, her voice trembling as she spoke with a blush. "Mr. Cole, you must have misunderstood. I just want to talk to you. Peters Realty is a trustworthy company. Can we cooperate in a normal way?"
James 's throat bobbed as he stared at her graceful figure. "Cooperation? Sure," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But we can't talk about it while standing here. Come in." He reached out to grab her arm, but Sarah was scared and fought back. "Let go, or I'll scream!" she warned, struggling to break free from his grasp. In her panic, she even smashed her purse into his nose, causing him to grimace in pain and finally let go of her with a scream.
Sarah swiftly escaped the clutches of the scumbag and made a beeline for the elevator. Meanwhile, Ray, who had been lurking in a distant corner, emerged from hiding only to find that she had already left. Determined not to let her slip away, James took a separate elevator to pursue her. Fearing that James would catch up with her, Ray once again opted for the staircase to make his way down.
Upon reaching the hotel lobby, Ray burst out of the fire exit, drenched in sweat, only to be met with a dispirited James making his way back from the entrance. Sarah had successfully evaded them both. Seething with rage, Ray approached James with purpose.
As the two men passed each other, Ray seized the opportunity to yank the corner of James 's bathrobe, sending him careening towards the ground in a state of shock. In the aftermath of the commotion, James was left standing stark-naked, stunned into immobility.
The hotel lobby was thrown into disarray, and security guards brandishing rubber batons soon gave chase to Ray. Meanwhile, a group of tourists checking in at the reception were left agape at the spectacle before them. The guide screamed in disbelief as the elderly female tourists excitedly snapped photos of James .
Despite his initial intention to pursue Ray, James was hesitant to make his way towards the entrance amidst the throngs of people rushing about during the evening rush hour.
If he were to burst out of the room like that, the situation would only escalate further. However, surrounded by a group of elderly women, James found himself at a loss. Instinctively, he knew that he needed assistance and considered seeking refuge at the hotel. Clad in nothing but his birthday suit, he made his way to the front desk, causing a stir among the staff.
"What on earth are you doing? Please don't come any closer!" cried one of the receptionists in shock, as James 's private parts swung freely with every step.
"Security! Where the hell are the security guards when you need them?" another staff member yelled.
"Maya! The security guards are chasing after a man who stole a bathrobe! He's fast!" warned a third, panicked employee.
"Quickly, someone stop him! This is too much for me to handle!" cried Maya, the lobby manager.
Frustrated and livid, James climbed over the front desk, his hand propped against the cool marble surface. "Get me something to wear, you foolish women!" he barked.
The three receptionists, startled and bewildered by the chaos, failed to react promptly. Maya, the manager, screamed and fainted after James jumped behind the desk. "Oh, my goodness! Maya just had heart bypass surgery! Someone call an ambulance!" exclaimed one of the receptionists. The other scrambled to dial for help, while both women ignored the naked man.
Meanwhile, Sarah's mother urged her to seek assistance from a well-known figure, oblivious to the fact that her "useless" son-in-law was infinitely wealthier.
Ray gasped for breath as he sprinted down the street, evading the clutches of the relentless security guards. With a sense of relief, he flung the bathrobe into a nearby dumpster before reaching for his phone to contact Sarah. To his dismay, her phone remained switched off, leaving him to ponder his next move. After careful consideration, he extracted a business card from his pocket and dialed the number printed on it. "I accept your terms," he announced firmly. "I will reconcile with my father." Fifteen minutes later, Ray found himself in a serene park, stowing away his new supreme bank card. With an air of nonchalance, he inquired, "So, what do the Garcias do, Eli? How wealthy are they?" The ever-obliging Eli Ledger responded with respect, detailing the extent of the Garcias' global businesses and investment funds. "Their wealth is immeasurable," Eli confessed. "During the Asian financial crisis in 2008, the Garcia Group played a crucial role in stabilizing our country's economy."
In the luxurious Presidential Suite of the Sunrise Heritage Resort, James 's anger was palpable as he pointed to Ray's face on the monitor screen. "Who is this useless matrilocal son-in-law of the Peters?" he bellowed. The plump hotel manager repeatedly bowed and confirmed, "He is Ray Garcia, Sarah's husband. He's the one who stole your bathrobe. The surveillance footage leaves no room for doubt." James was incensed. The Peters were playing a dangerous game by crossing him, and he couldn't believe that Sarah would stoop so low as to involve her husband in humiliating him. He was determined to crush them all. Shooing away the manager, James immediately made a phone call and had the post of him running around naked and causing a commotion in the lobby deleted. In exchange, the hotel offered a week of free stay to the elderly tourists and promised to remove any evidence of the incident to protect their reputation. But James wasn't satisfied with just that. He called the patriarch o
As Sophia pounded on the door, Noahgroggily woke up to the loud noise. "Who could be knocking at this ungodly hour?" she grumbled, rubbing her messy hair in frustration. When she opened the door, she was taken aback by the sight before her. Was this some kind of gangster movie? Behind Sophia stood a group of over 20 young men from the Peters family, some holding staffs, others wielding knives or expandable batons. Tristan Peters, Sarah's cousin, pushed his way past Noahand barked out orders. "Move aside! We're here for Sarah and Ray!" The commotion roused the sleeping couple, who stumbled out of the bedroom only to be surrounded by the menacing group of men. As the tension in the room escalated, Sarah turned to her sister, her chest heaving with anger. "How could you betray me like this, Sophia? You're my sister!" Sophia's lip curled as she snorted in response. "You didn't help Mom, and your useless man caused trouble with Mr. Cole from Oscorp Corporation . He even took Mr. Cole's b
In James 's apartment at Prosperity Apartments, Ray and Sarah stood together in the living room. They had come to apologize, at Monica's request, for their previous offensive behavior towards Mr. Cole. Monica humbly bowed and asked for forgiveness on their behalf, offering to accept any punishment deemed appropriate. James sat on the sofa, his expression grim as he listened to Monica's plea. "I am a respectable businessman," he replied, his tone flat. "I would never suggest anything illegal. However, if you want my forgiveness for the Peters family, there is a way." He glanced over at Ray with disdain. "If this man enjoys exposing himself so much, then I will forgive you if he runs naked from Glory Avenue to Nationality Avenue in three days' time. It's a 3-mile stretch, and I'll make sure the media captures the entire event. If he fails to show up, then the Peters Realty will suffer the consequences." Monica's heart sank, and she looked over at Ray with concern. "How exactly do you
This evening, Sarah made an atypical appearance at dinner, descending the stairs alongside her partner Ray. Among the guests were her cousin Alice and her husband, who held a prestigious position as the director of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD). Almost immediately, the other guests, all Peters, rushed to flatter and curry favor with the high-ranking guest - all except for Ray and his wife, Monica. Alice, with her husband in tow, took a seat and sneered at the couple. "Look at them, so arrogant. Isn't this our favorite running duo?" Sarah shot her cousin a sharp glance before turning her attention to her phone. Ignored, Alice grew increasingly hostile. "What are you so proud of? Let's see how tough you are after running three miles in a bikini tomorrow!" Ray, however, wasn't having it. He looked at Alice and shook his head, "Lori always looks beautiful, no matter what she wears - unlike you. If you stood naked next to your husband, it would only remind us of some ca
Tristan's eyes widened in surprise as he flashed Ryan a rapid series of blinks. With a resounding clatter, his fork hit the plate as he shot Ryan a thumbs up. "My oh my, you're quite the wordsmith! Impressive insult, my friend!" Ryan's smirk twisted into a sneer as he corrected him, "You misunderstand me. He's not worth my time or effort to insult. I'm simply stating a fact." Sarah could feel her blood boil at Ryan's callous words. With a surge of rage, she snatched the soup bowl from Ray's hand and confronted him with tears streaming down her face. "Are you a fool? How can you still have an appetite for soup? Don't you hear how they're mocking you?" Ray let out a burp before responding with indifference, "Why should I care? Would you get mad if some ants started shouting at you? If they're bothering you, just step on them." Sarah was stunned by Ray's nonchalance. Over the past three years of their marriage, she had grown accustomed to the insults aimed at him. As long as they di
The next morning, in a small advertising company situated in the bustling metropolis of Austria, the Operations Director, Cadman Hunter, lashed out at his salesmen, his voice ringing with frustration. He berated them for their inability to secure the invitations for Mr. Garcia's welcome party and their failure to acquire any of the billboards along the running route of Ray and Sarah. The salesmen, their heads hung low in silence, listened intently, except for the Sales Manager, David, who attempted to speak but found himself unable to utter a word. "Speak up, David," Cadman snapped, impatiently. David managed a bitter smile, before finally mustering up the courage to explain, "Boss, you have no idea of the scale of this event. If Ray were to run alone, it would not have caused such a citywide sensation. But Sarah is joining him. She's stunning, from a wealthy family, and you can only imagine how explosive the news is. All the billboards along the route have been sold, and the stores
Ray's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Sarah, who was curled up on the floor and wailing in despair. "What's going on? Strangle you?" he asked, bewildered. Sarah's sobs only intensified as she explained her predicament. "I can't bear the thought of being humiliated like that. I want to end my life now." Ray felt his heart race as he tried to comfort her, promising her multiple times that he wouldn't let her suffer that humiliation. However, Sarah's trust had been broken too many times, and she remained skeptical of his assurances. As the tension mounted, Ray's phone buzzed, and he read Eli's text message with a sense of relief. With the Peters out of commission, Ray knew that he could take action to protect Sarah. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up, determined to show her that she had nothing to fear. Despite the gravity of the situation, Ray chuckled at Sarah's playful punches as they made their way out of the room. He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction a