Bizarre Sexual Assault

1

In the incident where Howard was deceived by his girlfriend and lost all his money, the most intense reaction came not from Howard himself or his parents, George and Margaret, but from his younger brother Noah.

At 6 o’clock in the evening, the family gathered around the table for dinner. Noah, holding back his frustration, was suddenly asked by Margaret about the progress with his girlfriend, Cynthia: “Hasn’t Cynthia been to our home for quite some time?”

Seizing the opportunity, Noah vented his anger: “Progress? There’s no damn progress. No house, no money, why should she be with me? I’m about to be dumped too!”

“Ah? Are you… Are you also breaking up?” Margaret was horrified, and the pain she had barely suppressed resurfaced, tears streaming down her face. George also lost his appetite instantly, putting down his chopsticks.

Howard, already feeling upset due to financial loss and a breakup, was surprised by Noah’s words: “Are you also breaking up? Why?”

“Why? You’re asking why?” Noah slammed the table. “You talk about your damn love affair and put the family’s hard-earned money into it! Eight hundred thousand! Where did you get the courage to give so much money to that woman! You’ve dragged me into this mess, and Cynthia also broke up with me! Are you satisfied now? At your age, being fooled and left with nothing, who are you accountable to?”

Noah’s anger was not without reason. George’s family originally had little money, and it was not easy for them to support both sons. It wasn’t until the brothers started working that they stopped asking for money from their parents. George, aside from a meager pension, took on a security job. Margaret, in addition to picking up scrap every day, took on additional manual labor at home, enduring backbreaking work and almost going blind.

After years of hard work, they managed to save a little over six hundred thousand. This amount wasn’t even enough to buy a small house. Originally, George wanted to split the money evenly between the brothers, but Margaret felt that the elder son, Howard, was too honest and lacked foresight compared to the clever younger son, Noah. In terms of education, job, height, and appearance, Howard was weaker. If they divided the money equally, Noah could use it to buy a house, but Howard would struggle.

So, after careful consideration, the couple decided to use the money to buy a house for Howard. With Noah’s savings of over five hundred thousand, the plan was for him to request an additional two to three hundred thousand from the family by the end of the year to secure the house.

However, the money didn’t go towards Howard’s house payment. Instead, it was “borrowed” by Howard’s girlfriend, Mandy, to invest in some dubious project involving her friend’s husband. Just three months later, the friend disappeared along with the eighty thousand dollars.

When the truth was revealed, the couple was left speechless and shocked. Noah’s hope of buying a house was shattered, as all the money was gone. Cynthia, his girlfriend, upon learning about the situation, was astonished and decided to break up, thinking the whole family had lost their minds.

And so, the explosive confrontation at the dinner table today unfolded.

2

“Stop scolding your brother,” Margaret sobbed, “If you want to blame someone, blame me! I shouldn’t have given him all the money! I knew your brother is honest, lacks cunning, and is easily influenced by that woman. Yet, I still gave him all the money… I was too foolish. Now that the money is gone, scolding him to death won’t help, will it? Sob…”

Noah couldn’t swallow this. He continued yelling with red eyes, “Is he honest? He’s just stupid! Why didn’t you tell me when you gave him the money? Why hide it from me? If you had told me, I would have had an idea, and I wouldn’t have promised Cynthia that we could buy a house this year. If you had been honest, even if I was unhappy, could we at least argue about it? With me around, at least the money wouldn’t have fallen into that woman’s hands.”

The word “woman” stabbed Howard’s heart. He looked up at the furious Noah, his eyes moist.

Noah didn’t care whether Howard could bear it or not. He sternly questioned, “The house was chosen, and Mom and Dad agreed. Why didn’t you buy it? You believed her just because she mentioned investing? She asked for your money, and you gave it to her? Is it even your money? Why do you make decisions without thinking? Investment? How much does she earn in a month, and how much do you earn? Less than five thousand a month, and you dare to dream! Let me tell you, she might be colluding with others to scam you!”

“She didn’t scam me,” Howard defended his girlfriend. “If it was fake, why would she report to the police? She’s also feeling terrible about losing the money… Besides, it’s not all her fault. She suggested I invest, but the decision was mine. It was my desire for more profit that led me to give her the money. She said she would pay it back.”

After a moment of hesitation, he choked up, “Actually, if you hadn’t said those things to her on the phone, maybe she wouldn’t have broken up with me…”

“What? What are you saying?” Noah could hardly believe his ears. “Howard, are you suggesting she dumped you, or is it our fault? We shouldn’t have asked her about the money, and we should have pretended like nothing happened — no, we should have consoled her with a smile, right?”

“Howard, you useless piece of garbage, why don’t you just die!” Noah suddenly raised his voice, jumping up and pointing at Howard’s nose, “Our parents’ hard-earned money is all gone because of you. How dare you say such things? Is the only thing on your mind that woman?”

“How much money have you spent on her in the two or three years you’ve been together? Have you calculated it? Can you even afford two hundred on your own? You can’t even spare thirty bucks for a video membership, but you’re willing to buy her a five or six thousand phone, a ten thousand bag! How can you be such a stupid brother?”

Noah got closer and raised his voice, “Do you think that woman really likes you? Get real! I’m telling you, women like her, with a bit of looks and early entry into society, aren’t good people! Who knows what she’s been up to? Can you handle a woman like her? Can she be devoted to you and live a good life with you? Only you, the idiot, would believe her, eagerly spending money on her, earning five thousand a month and spending four thousand on her. Now, she’s drained you and cut ties with you! Huh, you really believe she’ll pay you back? Dream on! Even if she begged me, I wouldn’t take her!”

3

After Noah’s outburst, he slammed the door and left. If it weren’t for reaching the peak of anger, he wouldn’t have mercilessly criticized Howard in such a way.

Despite Howard being considered honest and somewhat pathetic, it must be acknowledged that he was very affectionate towards Noah. Since childhood, he always gave way to him for anything enjoyable or fun. Every time the brothers made a mistake together, Howard took full responsibility, voluntarily admitting fault and accepting punishment. Once, when Noah offended someone and was blocked by a group of thugs taller than him, Howard, despite being afraid, didn’t hesitate to rush in and ended up with a broken nose.

Originally a pair of respectful and loving brothers, they now had their faces torn apart over money. Who could feel good about it?

Noah could understand why his parents gave all the money to Howard. Sometimes, uneven material distribution among children wasn’t due to favoritism but an instinct to help the one with worse conditions. From another perspective, it was their recognition of him being superior to the elder brother.

His anger was more directed at his parents’ concealment and Howard’s lack of self-awareness. Howard, an honest guy, insisted on pursuing beauty and ended up with a woman like Mandy — seductive and glamorous. That appearance, that dressing, a clear vixen.

Noah had warned Howard to find a girlfriend who had education, preferably a university graduate, someone cultured and decent like Cynthia. But did he listen? Being the perfect boyfriend, doing whatever Mandy asked him to, tired like a dog, and still enjoying it.

Noah had been emotionally down for several days because his girlfriend completely stopped answering his calls. On that day, Noah changed his number and finally got through to Cynthia.

Hearing his girlfriend’s voice, Noah almost cried, “Darling, please don’t do this. My parents giving all the money to my brother is not favoritism. It’s because my brother can’t earn much…”

“If your brother can’t earn money, can you earn it? How come you still can’t afford a house until now?” Cynthia heartlessly interrupted him. “Noah, actually, when you told me you had a brother, I didn’t want to continue with you. My parents kept advising me to break up with you. But at that time, I already had feelings for you, so I hesitated. I told myself not to be narrow-minded, reminded myself that it’s not your fault your family is not well-off, and having a brother or not is not something you can decide.”

“And I thought, usually, even if families show favoritism, it’s towards the younger one. Even if your family reversed the roles, favoring the elder one, with your conditions, how much favoritism could there be? But I was wrong. Your parents’ actions completely shattered my understanding. So much money, all given to your brother, and he got swindled to the last penny!”

“Noah, you’re magnanimous, you’re noble, you don’t care, but I can’t stand it! Don’t talk to me about that being your parents’ money from the beginning; it’s useless. I won’t buy that. I’m not that forgiving. My education is not lower than yours, and I don’t earn less than you. Why should I marry into a family where I’ll be mistreated? I’ll say something harsh — with the intelligence of your parents and your brother, I’m afraid it will affect the next generation! Don’t contact me anymore, don’t make me look down on you!”

4

After hanging up the phone, Noah felt completely hopeless. For several consecutive days, he didn’t go home or to the office.

His parents called, but he refused to answer. Howard sent a message, admitting that it was all his fault, that he shouldn’t have taken their parents’ money.

He vowed not to pursue relationships anymore and promised to work hard to repay the sixty thousand to their parents.

Sixty thousand, at most a dozen years to repay. He urged Noah to calm down, not to resent their parents. They had no choice. If Noah had been a bit more successful, with a higher income, their parents wouldn’t have to worry so much about him.

After reading the message, Noah felt an indescribable emotion. He didn’t really hate them, but he genuinely hated Mandy. She not only deceived their family’s money but also ruined his relationship. If murder weren’t illegal, he would want to kill her.

During those days, Noah was actually keeping an eye on Mandy. Mandy worked at a women’s clothing store, from one in the afternoon until ten at night. His drinking spot happened to be across the street from her clothing store.

Initially suspicious that Mandy might be involved in the scheme with the money, he wanted to see if he could find any clues. However, he discovered that Mandy had an intimate relationship with another man. For two consecutive afternoons, a man came to pick her up in a car, and their interactions indicated a close relationship.

Noah’s anger reached its peak, and he almost bit through his back molars. He truly wanted to drag Howard over and let him see what kind of person he had gotten involved with.

That night, coming out of the pub, Noah, under the influence of alcohol, did something heart-pounding. He fully armed himself with sunglasses and a mask, hiding on the inevitable path of Mandy’s return to her residence — a deserted and unfinished building. At 10:40 PM, when Mandy passed by alone, Noah grabbed her, dragging her into the hidden spot.

Due to Noah firmly gripping her neck with one hand and tightly covering her mouth with the other, she couldn’t see who attacked her, and she was unable to cry for help.

Many times later, recalling this scene, Noah found it unbelievable. Because at the moment of doing this, he didn’t have a well-thought-out plan in his mind, and he wasn’t clear about what exactly he intended to do to Mandy.

He only knew that he was being controlled by anger and drunkenness, completely losing his rationality.

In a confused state, he pushed Mandy down, assaulting her while searching her belongings. However, he didn’t find anything. In her bag, besides the six-thousand-dollar phone that Howard bought for her, there were only a few hundred dollars in cash.

Subsequently, Noah sexually assaulted her.

Yes, he did.

And because Mandy fiercely resisted, trying to pull off his mask, he knocked her unconscious.

5

Noah didn’t know what had come over him; there was an irresistible impulse. It seemed like he had coveted this woman for a long time; as if he had been waiting for an opportunity to humiliate this woman who was different from his girlfriend; and as if he had deeply envied how his brother, who was inferior in every way, could have a girlfriend much prettier than his. It was as if his contempt and hatred for this woman had always been false, a bitterness and resentment hidden beneath the cloak of disdain, longing, and salivation.

It also seemed like, until this moment, he finally confronted his inner self, faced his desires, and in the chaos, gave birth to a satisfaction that even he found hard to believe: “Finally got to sleep with you, you slut.”

How could such a woman be a good thing? How could she belong only to someone like Howard, an honest man? What’s her real relationship with that man? How many men has she been with? How many times has she betrayed Howard?

She deceived their money, dumped Howard, ruined his love life — she deserves whatever happens to her, even if it means being violated by him. After all, she and Howard are no longer together, right? So, in his mind, if he violates her, it’s not betraying Howard. He thought so.

After it was all done, Noah disappeared.

The cold wind howled against his face, dissipating his drunkenness and awakening his rationality. He returned to the hotel and took a frigid shower for a full twenty minutes, turning pale from the freezing water, nearly feeling lifeless.

Would Mandy report to the police? Could they trace it back to him? He didn’t dare to think about it. Completely sober now, he was engulfed by intense regret and fear, suffocating in emotions he had never experienced before.

Mandy didn’t report to the police. Three days later, Noah returned home, telling his parents that he had been on a business trip these past few days. Seeing his relatively stable mood and apparent calm, they finally let go of their worries, refraining from asking why he didn’t answer calls or messages.

When he saw Howard, Noah’s eyes betrayed a hint of avoidance. A week later, after Noah finished work and returned home, he was shocked to find Mandy sitting in the living room. His expression suddenly changed.

Mandy, seemingly unaware of the person who assaulted her that night, showed no unusual reaction upon seeing him. The marks on her face were still evident — faint bruises around her eyes, and scabs forming at the corners of her mouth.

Margaret, somewhat excited, exclaimed, “Noah, Mandy and your brother are getting back together!”

“What? Getting back together?” Noah was taken aback.

“Yes, Mandy just told us herself. Not only are they reconciling, but she also mentioned that they plan to get married next week!”

6

“Marriage certificate?” Noah could hardly believe his ears, turning to look at Howard. Howard’s ecstatic expression, even more than winning five million, proved that this was not a joke. Noah, forgetting his guilt for a moment, bravely confronted Mandy, asking bluntly, “Are you serious? Didn’t you initiate the breakup before? Why are you marrying my brother now?”

Margaret scolded, “Look at how you speak! If Mandy wants to reconcile with your brother, shouldn’t you be happy? Young people breaking up and getting back together is normal. Mandy has a good relationship with your brother, and the money issue was just a misunderstanding. She has thought it through and is willing to marry your brother. We are thrilled. If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.”

Noah fell silent. He had no idea what Mandy was up to. Just half a month ago, he discovered her involved with another man. That night, she had been with him, and now she was marrying Howard. What was her true intention?

Not giving up, Noah questioned Mandy again, “Our family’s money is gone because of you. What are you going to use for the wedding?”

Howard intervened, “Noah, don’t talk to Mandy like that.”

Mandy, with a guilty expression, apologized, “I’m sorry, Noah. I know this situation upset you. I regret it too. When I suggested breaking up with your brother, it wasn’t because I really wanted to end things. It was because I felt ashamed after being deceived. But after the breakup, I regretted it. I still love your brother, and now I’ve realized that. Since I’m responsible for losing the money for the house, I’m willing to face the consequences. I’ll marry your brother and rent a house. When we recover the money or save enough, we can buy a house. Is that acceptable?”

Noah was completely speechless. He couldn’t believe that Mandy would marry without a house! How was that even possible?

“Is this for real?” Noah sneered, “No house, but are there other conditions? Or maybe you…”

He almost asked if she encountered some trouble, making her decide to marry his brother. He stopped himself. He couldn’t risk asking such a sensitive question. If he exposed the truth, not only would she possibly report him to the police, but how would he face the scrutiny and condemnation from the family and the public if it was known he assaulted his own brother’s girlfriend?

He didn’t dare to ask about her and the other man. How could he know about such a secret without intentionally investigating? He saw how happy his parents and Howard were about Mandy’s change of heart. If he revealed what he saw without concrete evidence, it would only lead to the family’s resentment and accusations.

At this moment, he felt overwhelmingly frustrated. More than the eight hundred thousand, what disgusted him the most was what he had done to Mandy.

7

He glanced guiltily at Mandy, about to ask about the injuries on her face, wanting to see how she would respond. However, Howard took out a tube of ointment from his pocket and said to Mandy, ‘Let me apply some for you! The pharmacy owner said it works well, and the marks will be gone in a few days.’”

Noah pretended to casually ask, “Wha-what happened to your face?”

Mandy replied, “I fell on a dark road. Those days… I was preoccupied with money issues, absent-minded, and ended up falling into a ditch. I’ve listened to Howard and resigned. I plan to find a new job, so I won’t have to work night shifts anymore.”

“Not working night shifts is good. It’s not safe at night,” Margaret cheerfully added.

That night, Noah couldn’t sleep. The following days were the same. It seemed that since that night, his sleep had become problematic, making it difficult for him to get a proper rest. Whenever he closed his eyes, the image of the unfinished building that night would appear in his mind, trapping him in a suffocating sense of remorse and regret, as if demons were gripping his heart and ghosts were strangling his neck.

A week later, Mandy did marry Howard as she said, and they moved into a rented house. Only when they shared the room did Howard discover that Mandy also had injuries. It seemed she was really hurt.

Noah asked Mandy, “Do you really not regret marrying me?”

What could Mandy say besides expressing no regrets? Could she say that while enjoying Howard’s care like a father, she was also working as a third party and had been assaulted by someone else’s wife’s hired assailant?

When that woman threatened her over the phone, warning her to stay away from her husband, Mandy was terrified. Initially, she didn’t want to contact the man again. However, a few days later, the man claimed his wife had gone abroad to see their child and wouldn’t be back for a month. He promised to buy her the latest LV bag, and she, driven by the hope of making some money, slept with him a few more times. Now, it seemed everything was a trap set by that woman. The assailant’s methods were so crude; he almost killed her. If not hired by that woman, who else could it be? Now, she was scared to ever contact the man again. This time, it was just assault; next time, it might cost her life.

Considering her age, she thought it was time to settle down. Despite Howard not having much money, she probably wouldn’t find another man who loved her as much. Leaving aside everything else, she had caused his family to lose so much hard-earned money. In another family, she might have been sued or even harmed physically. However, Howard couldn’t bear to scold her and still wanted her. She said she was willing to marry him, and his family was grateful. This family would do.

At the beginning of the year, Noah applied to be transferred to another city voluntarily. If possible, he wanted to settle there and never come back.

Many things in the world were confusing without clear answers. Like how he couldn’t understand that in the end, it was his own rogue behavior that, by a twist of fate, ended up contributing to his brother’s marriage. The revenge he thought of strangely resulted in a happy ending — happy? He didn’t know. At least for now, it seemed that way for the entire family.

Although he didn’t know how long this happiness would last or if it was a blessing or a curse.