Rejecting Delayed Salvation

When I returned to the Butler family, which was wealthy, as the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Butler, I met Alan Gibbs for the first time.

Because he helped me out of a difficult situation once, I loved him and pursued him for five years.

He finally became my fiancé.

However, he looked down upon me for not being well-educated, lacking the elegant demeanor that a daughter from a prestigious family would have.

When my grandfather, who raised me, fell gravely ill, Alan chose to listen to Cara Butler and decided to teach me a lesson instead of helping me when I needed him the most.

My grandfather passed away helplessly, and as Alan wished, I learned to behave myself.

And I stopped loving him.

...

1.

The moment I was thrown onto the roadside in the city, I became a joke in the circle.

I, the daughter of the Butler family, had clashed with my parents' adoptive daughter and was punished by them. They froze all my bank accounts. I stormed out in a fit of anger.

I sounded brave, but I had secretly borrowed from a loan shark. He humiliated me because I failed to pay the debt.

My story had spread throughout the circle.

I had no idea how they learned the news. They gathered at the place where I was thrown out and took pictures of my disheveled state with their phones.

I didn't scream to disperse them to maintain my image as I used to.

After all, I no longer cared about my dignity, which had been worn away bit by bit by the loan shark.

Ever since I was forced to get down on my knees and slap myself, my heart no longer stirred for such so-called pride.

Elizabeth Butler, the proud girl who had always made trouble and never forgave others even when others apologized, had died.

The Butler family and Alan had shattered my spirit painfully.

Suddenly, several black luxury sedans drove up without regard for anyone else. They scattered those onlookers from rich families.

The leading car was understated, but I knew who was in that car.

Alan from the Gibbs family was my fiancé.

I looked at the car, pressed my lips together, and turned to take another route.

The car door opened, and a man in a suit stepped out.

He quickly walked up to me and was shocked as soon as he saw my face and clothes.

I knew I looked miserable.

I was still wearing the dress from my grandfather's funeral. It was stained. My exposed right hand was bruised from being stomped on by the loan shark, and my left hand wore a mismatched dirty glove. I was barefoot, and my toes were red and slightly swollen.

The loan shark's people had gripped my ankle and slammed my toes against the steps. It was so painful.

The man lowered his gaze and seemed a bit sympathetic. He said politely, "Miss Butler, Mr. Gibbs is waiting for you."

I kept my head down and didn't look at Alan's secretary in front of me.

I replied, "I can walk on my own."

Then I walked past him.

The secretary was surprised.

I had once regarded Alan as my savior and pursued him for five years. Even when he ignored me, I would rack my brain to find excuses to get close to him. But now I saw him as a threat, which indeed surprised the secretary who was used to my clingy behavior.

"Elizabeth!" The deep voice made me instinctively stop.

The secretary noticed my eyes were slightly red. He paused for a moment and still made a gesture for me to get in the car.

I dragged my weary steps, ignored the secretary's hesitant gaze, and slowly got into the car.

Alan was sitting there.

Seeing my wretched state, he didn't show concern but instead frowned deeply. He said unhappily, "I haven't seen you for half a month. How did you become a beggar?"

My heart didn't ache from his mockery as it used to. Nor did I feel disappointed because he ignored my injuries.

I simply lowered my head and replied in a low voice, "Sorry."

But I hadn't expected that either. I didn't want to be tricked into borrowing from the loan shark. I didn't want to be beaten and kicked by them. I didn't want to be forced to slap myself. I didn't want to be tied up like a dog in a corner or forced to lick food off the ground.

But more than anything else, I didn't want my grandfather's coffin to be dug up from the graveyard.

His hand paused, and he glanced at me. His tone was unexpectedly appreciative. "Cara's method isn't bad. You do seem more obedient than before..."

Before I was found by the Butler family, Cara had been staying with the Butler family in my place. But I, the Butler family's daughter, stayed with Cara's grandfather, whom I had taken as my grandfather, although he was related to Cara by blood.

Cara's father died in a construction accident, and after her mother sent me to Cara's grandfather's home, she disappeared.

I didn't have much time to ponder why Cara was suddenly mentioned. Alan dismissively gestured for me to go over. "Come here."

I sat as far away from Alan as possible. I didn't look at him since getting into the car. My eyes were fixed on the carpet beneath my feet.

Hearing his words, my eyes filled with resistance, and I didn't move.

2.

Seeing that I didn't respond, Alan intensified his tone. "I told you to come here."

I still didn't respond. My back straightened, which seemed to keep my dignity, even though my dignity was shattered when I was forced to submit.

Without my response, the car fell into silence.

Perhaps Alan wasn't used to such an atmosphere, or maybe he was growing impatient. He reached out to me.

As his hand approached, my back tensed. Unfortunately, I was sitting by the window and had no place to escape.

The moment his hand grasped my arm, I caught a whiff of alcohol.

The smell triggered a flood of memories in my mind.

Because I made a mistake, my parents took away my bank cards. So I returned to my grandfather's home angrily.

Then I found he was seriously ill.

I didn't have any money and called my parents. But they didn't answer my call.

Later, a few rich young men from Alderwood came to me with smirks. "We heard you need money. You can beg us. Maybe we're in a good mood and will lend you some."

Whenever I closed my eyes, the scene where Grandfather was lying in bed and coughing violently came into my mind. He sometimes even coughed up blood.

So, without hesitation, I begged them.

It was silent in the room, except for the sound of my head hitting the floor. I kowtowed so hard that my forehead still hadn't healed.

In the end, they tossed three red notes at me and left with a mocking remark.

They said, "Miss Butler, Mr. Gibbs said your sincerity is worth only that much."

Because of that, I was tricked into borrowing from the loan sharks.

And my grandfather passed away due to delayed treatment.

After his funeral, I had to pay the money I borrowed. I called Alan and wanted to borrow some money, but he just laughed coldly and hung up.

The memories made me breathless. Goose bumps rose on my arm that Alan held. I felt like I was being suffocated by a snake, which sent a chill down my spine.

I was dizzy and nauseous, and I felt like vomiting.

I forcefully shook off Alan's hand and hunched over. I gripped the front seat with one hand and covered my neck with the other hand, which was wearing the broken glove. I started retching violently.

I had eaten little these days, so nothing came up.

But Alan still covered his nose with a tissue. His gaze was filled with disgust as he warned me sharply. "Elizabeth!"

I ignored him and continued to retch until the urge subsided.

The veins on Alan's forehead bulged. I knew he was on the brink of anger.

I didn't act coy or try to charm my way out as I used to.

I was well aware that I had no right to cause a scene.

I was trembling as I was so weak. I hung my head low and gripped the back of the front seat with some force. "Sorry... I'll clean it up for you. I can sit in the car behind. Sorry for dirtying your car."

Alan paused and cast a suspicious glance at me.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly reached out and tried to touch my forehead.

Watching his hand get closer, I was completely stiffened.

I knew I shouldn't avoid it. If I did, Alan would get angry, and I used to fear his anger the most.

When he got angry, he would belittle me until I felt worthless, embarrassed, and upset.

I remained tense in my seat and repeatedly told myself not to dodge.

But the moment his fingers touched me, I felt nauseous and suffocated again, and I couldn't help but turn my head away from his touch.

Alan's hand froze in mid-air, unmoving.

When he looked at me, I sensed his anger and impatience.

I felt dizzy again.

I shook my head, and Alan's face disappeared from my view, replaced by the scene where my grandfather was lying in a hospital bed with tubes all over his body.

I vividly remembered that the doctor stopped his treatment because I failed to borrow any money.

I knelt by his bed and cried uncontrollably.

My grandfather struggled to speak, but he still managed to force a smile and asked, "Are they nice to you?"

I covered my face and sobbed so hard that I couldn't speak.

My parents cared more for Cara than for me. Cara always seemed to harbor a subtle hostility towards me. Alan utterly disliked me. No one liked me there.

But I still choked and said, "They are all nice to me."

Grandfather reached out and seemed to try to touch my head. "You are finally loved and cared for."

Before I could move closer to let him touch my hair, he closed his eyes forever.

I blinked, and a tear fell.

3

Alan had been about to scold me, but he swallowed his words. He glanced at me and said nothing to me. He just coldly urged the driver to speed up.

I wiped away my tears with my sleeve and quietly sit in a corner, trying to make myself less noticeable.

The scenery outside blurred, and I hugged my knees, thinking.

If Alan had helped me back then, would Grandfather have been saved?

So I would have avoided borrowing from the loan shark, and the following would never have happened.

But the fact couldn't be changed.

When the car stopped, the inertia caused my forehead to bump against the seatback. The scabbed wound seemed to be about to reopen, and Alan glanced at me inadvertently. "What happened to your forehead?"

I covered it with my hand, said nothing, and shook my head.

He didn't press further. He got out of the car and walked into the Butler family's house without looking back.

As soon as I entered, I quickly went upstairs to take a shower.

As I undressed, I finally removed the tattered glove, revealing my left hand.

There were no wounds, but my pinky was bent at an odd angle.

I had made it by myself.

I broke it by myself. Only then did they laugh and give me something to eat.

At that time, I wanted this fracture to accompany me for the rest of my life, so I could always stay clear-headed.

After changing into a long dress and another glove, I went downstairs.

It was mealtime, and my mother saw me immediately. She seemed a bit incredulous and beckoned me over. He said in a slightly reproachful tone, "Where have you been these days? You didn't even call us to tell us your whereabouts."

I wanted to say something, as I suddenly felt very aggrieved. But just as I uttered one word, I was interrupted.

"Mom, do I look nice?" Cara was wearing a dress I hadn't seen before and glided down the stairs gracefully.

My mother was focused on her immediately, and her gaze was turned away from me. "You look beautiful."

Cara stood there and smiled complacently at me. "Why is Elizabeth dressed in such a long dress?"

Everyone looked at me after she said that.

I met Cara's mocking gaze, and my heart skipped a beat. But I didn't confront her as I used to.

I calmed myself and was about to speak when Cara linked arms with my mother and said happily, "Mom, I prepared a dress for Elizabeth, too."

My mother nodded approvingly.

Cara looked at me, and her eyes were filled with malice. "Elizabeth, do you want to try it on?"

I pressed my lips together and thought of my body covered in bruises and wounds. So I declined. "No, thank you."

Cara seemed a bit hurt and said reluctantly, "Well, alright."

Alan's face darkened. He glanced at me and seemingly warned me. But he couldn't lose his temper since he was at the Butler family's house.

My mother looked at my ankle-length dress and frowned. She criticized me, saying, "Cara meant well."

Cara's face paled slightly, and my mother's words seemed to have touched a sore spot for her. She forced a smile. "Mom, it's okay. It's only natural for Elizabeth to dislike me."

I didn't retort to my mother or accuse Cara of being fake as I used to.

Instead, I remained silent for a moment and then replied flatly, "Thank you, Cara."

My mother was taken aback by my tone, and Alan showed a little surprise.

During dinner, my mother kept enthusiastically serving me food. I changed my previous behavior and meekly thanked her.

She almost checked if I had a fever. After she confirmed that I was fine, she sighed worriedly instead of scolding me. Then she put a bank card into my hand. She had taken it back from me before. "Elizabeth, you really made your father and me worried when you ran away. We won't restrict you anymore. Here's your bank card, and your dad has transferred some money to it."

I clenched the card and then loosened my grip.

It was too late. The bank card came too late.

Cara's knuckles turned pale as she clenched her fork. She watched me until I met her gaze, and then she smiled again.

"Alan, you still haven't given Elizabeth her birthday gift." She leaned slightly forward and got close to Alan.

The necklace around her neck dangled conspicuously due to the motion.

I remembered I saw that necklace with Alan at a special auction event we attended together. I liked it a lot back then, but I didn't have enough money. Alan said that if I behaved, he would give it to me as a birthday gift.

Now it was around Cara's neck.

Alan glanced at me and seemed to explain something to me. "The necklace suits Cara better, so..."

So he gave it to her.

I lowered my gaze and replied in a low voice, "It's fine. Mr. Gibbs, you can give it to whoever he wants."

He didn't have to explain to me. I knew he disliked me.

After dinner, I stood up. "I'm done. Mother, Mr. Gibbs, enjoy your dinner."

As expected, I received a look from Alan that was a mix of surprise and satisfaction.

At the landing of the second-floor staircase, I ran into Alan.

He was leaning against the wall and fiddling with a lighter. When he saw me, he exhaled a ring of smoke.

I stood still instead of rushing over as I used to. He raised his eyebrows and was seemingly unaccustomed to it. But he still appeared satisfied. "Elizabeth, you've finally learned to behave."

Alan put away the lighter and took a step closer. The smell of tobacco became stronger and forced me to step back in haste.

He stopped coming any closer and put away the lighter.

He looked down at me and seemed to be bestowing something upon me. "The necklace is for Cara. But since you've been behaving well, I can get you another gift. What do you want?" Perhaps he thought I would take this opportunity to make a huge demand, so he added, "It can only be jewelry or accessories. Don't expect anything else."

4

I looked up at his face and tried to find traces of the past.

The first time I met Alan was at a banquet, where I was ridiculed by the other rich young women.

That was years ago.

Back then, I lived in a small town with only Grandfather. He didn't understand the trends among young girls, and my tuition had already drained much of his savings.

So I never asked him for anything, and I wore the cheap, colorful clothes he bought me.

Grandfather didn't know about the trend of jeans. He sometimes would even sew clothes for me. He thought that girls should wear bright colors to look lively.

After being brought back to the Butler family, my sense of fashion hadn't changed, and I dressed quite uncoolly.

My mother asked Cara to teach me, but I could never find her, so I had to figure it out myself.

So I embarrassed myself.

I was very insecure back then and didn't know how to defend myself.

Alan drove them away with his sharp words, which made those people feel guilty and almost brought them to tears.

He sternly said to me, "Why are you so timid? Don't be afraid. If someone bullies you, bully them back. Even if you have to fight back, do it."

I asked helplessly, "But what if they're scared of me and don't want to be my friends?"

"Do you want to be bullied by them, or do you want them to be too scared to bully you? So what if you have no friends? I'll be your friend."

I remembered his words for over five years. But later, Alan publicly scolded me for being arrogant and bullying others.

But they bullied me first.

Alan didn't show the compassion and protective sense he once had for me. He became impatient and disgusted with me.

He lowered his head and said, "Have you decided it? Don't get too greedy."

I clasped my hands behind my back and rubbed my deformed left pinky finger with my good right hand.

The slight pain constantly reminded me of the abuse I suffered because of him.

When I begged for mercy, I revealed my identity and tearfully recited Alan's phone number, which I knew by heart.

How devastating it was when he answered the call! He said, "I don't know a girl named Elizabeth Butler. The only daughter of the Butler family is Cara Butler."

He even scolded the loan shark and irritated his people.

They took it out on me. They forced me to slap myself until my cheeks were swollen and my gums hurt.

As my face was swollen, I ate things with difficulty. The bread was too hard for me to chew, so they crushed it underfoot, dirty and black, and shoved it into my mouth.

Thinking about it made my stomach churn with nausea.

I held back the urge to vomit and pinched my dislocated pinky finger to keep my mind clear. "Sorry. There's nothing I want."

Alan frowned and gave me a suspicious look with a warning. "You said it yourself. Don't come to me later and cause trouble. I am not so patient."

I replied in a low voice, "I won't."

I just wish he would leave as soon as possible.

Alan didn't press me to choose something. Perhaps he never intended to give me anything at the beginning. "That's for the best." After a few steps, he stopped. With his back to me, he said seriously, "I gave that necklace to Cara. Don't go bullying her again."

Before I could respond, he strode away.