Chapter 5

Kohler shook her head violently, a nasty scowl twisting her face. "I will never marry someone else!" she spat. "My husband is right here, he's fine now and he's back for me." she said defiantly. 

Beverly's eyes narrowed with fury. She lashed out, slapping Kohler harshly across the cheek. "Who asked you to speak? Do you even have any idea what is good for you?!" she shrieked.

Kohler recoiled, clutching her reddened cheek in shocked disbelief. How dare her own mother lay hands on her like that?

Quincy swiftly moved to shield his wife, glaring at his mother-in-law. "This isn’t the way to treat your daughter, doesn't she have a say in the matter? This is about her lifetime partner! "he demanded loudly.

Beverly scolded him to stay off her daughter, she didn't want her to say anything. All she had to do was shut up and marry Charles, "She has to get married, stay out of this, Quincy! Your time in this family is numbered!" She snapped. 

Kohler pressed herself against Quincy's back, seeking his protection. Her mother was clearly unstable, and she feared another strike. 

""You should be ashamed to even stand before Charles," Beverly spat at Quincy. "He is one of the most influential men in this city and you are nothing but a poor man!" Beverly snapped at Quincy. 

Charles felt on top of the world, looking down at Quincy with a condescending smile. Kohler refused to even acknowledge his presence. 

"You are all not getting this straight, do you think there's anything that will make me leave my wife?" quickly asked calmly. He wasn't ruffled or disturbed despite their attempts to make him upset. 

Beverly's face contorted with rage. "How silly!" she spat. "Do you think you have what it takes to make my daughter do your bidding? I am her mother, and she will do as I have said! You can go to hell for all I care! Besides you are supposed to be a dead man." She said angrily. 

Kohler remained silent, her gaze downcast. She was terrified of her mother's wrath, unsure of how to defy the family's wishes. Her love for Quincy warred with her fear of the Walters' cruelty.

Quincy's expression remained cool and composed. "There's only one way I can let go of Kohler," he announced.

Charles perked up, his eyes gleaming with malicious hope. "Say it and consider it done," he replied boldly. "I can go to any length just to make Kohler mine." He declared boldly.

Beverly smiled smugly, certain that Quincy was about to reveal his greed and selfishness. She was convinced he would sell Kohler off for his own gain.

But Quincy's next words caught them all off guard. "The only way I can let go of Kohler is if she says so herself," he stated firmly. "If she agrees that she no longer wants me in her life, then I will leave. But nobody can separate the two of us. And I repeat no one!"

Beverly was already smiling, thinking to herself that she could finally prove to her daughter how vain Quincy really was, he was just about to sell her off for his own selfish gains. 

"The only way I can let go of Kohler is if she says so herself, if she agrees that she no longer wants me in her life then I will leave but nothing else can separate us," he said confidently. 

 Beverly's smile twisted into a sneer. "That's nonsense!" she spat. "You're just trying to guilt-trip her! You know Kohler has no reason to be with you - you are just a silly poor leach!" she snapped.  

Charles sneered at Quincy, clearly disappointed that his hopes of easily disposing of the man had been dashed. He had been counting on Quincy's weakness, only to be thwarted by his intense wall.

Grandmother's voice rang out, her gaze sweeping over Kohler with disdain. "You shouldn't go against your mother's decisions," she admonished. "Your family is already at the bottom as we speak, you are low rank because you have spent all your money trying to get this..."

She gestured contemptuously at Quincy, her lip curling. "...blood sucking leech. You have a chance to get back to the high-rank society. Charles would be able to recover all your wealth and what you've lost. You should consider yourself lucky that he is even interested in you. Despite you being a used dumpling."

 But Kohler stubbornly shook her head despite what grandmother said. She didn't want to leave Quincy for any reason. "I'm not going to leave my husband, grandmother," she said meekly. 

"Don't be silly, you should be making your parents proud, you have an opportunity to be useful to the family," Grandmother urged her. 

"When Quincy was sick, I was still beside him. I prayed and cried and hoped that he would be fine and finally, he's here, there's no way I am going to walk away from him now," Kohler replied with a final tone.

Beverly shook her head, clearly disappointed in her daughter and her stubbornness. She had been so happy that Charles was finally willing to marry her and get them to a better place in the family and also improve their living standard. But then Quincy had chosen to wake up at the same one and ruin everything. 

You can't pick this good-for-nothing over Charles," she cried, her voice sharp. "Why would you do that, Kohler?! Haven't I trained you well enough not to argue with your Grandmother?" Beverly asked her, trying to guilt her into accepting their offer. 

Quincy could see the discomfort growing in Kohler's expression, the weight of her family's anger and threats clearly unsettling her. He decided it was time for them to leave.

But as Quincy moved to usher Kohler away, Charles's fury boiled over. He grabbed Quincy by the collar, hissing, "Don't try to be a hindrance to what Kohler and I share!"

Quincy's reflexes were swift. He twisted Charles's hands behind his back. His eyes burning with flames. "Don't you ever think you are better than me because I let you feel that way," he stated coldly.