Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)
Chapter 426

His grip was iron-strong around my throat, the pressure making a sickening crunching noise. I struggled to breathe, my vision blurring with flashes of light. Instinctively, my hands clawed at his, desperate to pry them away.

"You think you can disrespect me? You brought this upon yourself, you're..." His rant was cut short as a shadow moved with lightning speed. Before I could comprehend what happened, Jaylan was sent flying, and I ended up sprawling onto the couch.

A thunderous crash echoed through the room, followed by a dull thud. A large decorative vase that stood nearby had toppled, shattering into pieces across the hardwood floor.

Gulping in fresh air, I was seized by a violent coughing fit, gasping for breath. The terror of suffocation had been overwhelming, and now, with tears and mucus streaming down my face, I didn't bother to clean them, focused only on stabilizing my ragged breathing as waves of seething anger rushed at me.

Hannah quickly examined my neck, babbling apologies. "I'm so sorry, miss! It's my fault, I should have looked after you better!"

We had an unspoken understanding, Hannah and I. I knew her concern was genuine, but her words were part of an act.

Furious, I glared at Jaylan, who was trying to get up. I shoved Hannah aside and charged at him, kicking him with all the primal force I could muster - a release for my pent-up rage.

Though my kick was amateurish, it was effective. Jaylan, caught off guard, stumbled back to the ground. I wasn't done yet. "You think you can lay hands on me, Jaylan? You've got another thing coming..." I never thought he'd dare to hurt me so openly, and rage clouded my judgment.

I didn't give him a chance to react. I pounced on top of him, my mind filled with images of Hertha beating Marissa. I mimicked the moves, slapping him fiercely, "That's for touching me!"

"Aaliyah, I'm gonna kill you..." he growled, trying to sit up and fight back.

Hannah stepped forward quickly, kicking him in the head. "If you so much as twitch, I'll break your hands. Whichever one you move, that's the one I'll disable. Try me!"

Her words worked like magic; he didn't dare move after that.

Hannah loomed over him. "Mr. Wilburn sent me to protect the lady. He knew a day might come when you'd turn on her. He bet right, so don't blame me for not being nice. You make a move, I'll make you regret it."

Her message to Jaylan was clear - she was sent by Mr. Wilburn. I wasn't alone; the Wilburn family had my back.

Jaylan, cunning as he was, ceased to resist upon hearing Hannah's declaration.

I unleashed my fury like a lioness, roaring as I raised my hand again and again, slapping him mercilessly. I poured two months' worth of anger into my punches, not caring if I was hitting his head or backside, until he was bleeding from his mouth.

Hannah, not realizing how intense I'd become, only intervened when I could slap no more.

"Enough, miss, stop! You'll hurt yourself!" she pleaded.

I was indeed exhausted, struggling to even stand from atop that wretched man.

Hannah pulled me to my feet, glanced at Jaylan with a hint of disgust, and gasped, "Miss, check your hands, are you hurt?"

Her words alarmed me, and I rushed to the bathroom to wash the blood off my hands.

Carefully inspecting my hands, I found them red but unharmed. Relief washed over me as I internally chastised myself for forgetting such a risk.

That was too close.

I had used my nails to scratch at his hands, and a cut could have been disastrous. Jaylan was not just repulsive; he was a carrier of STD.

Still burning with anger, I stormed out of the bathroom and pointed at Jaylan, who had managed to stand. "I want a divorce... a divorce!"