Marrissa gasped in shock, appalled at the thought that Dawson would harm a woman. To her surprise, Dawson's hand stopped halfway. It became clear that he had stopped himself to protect his image. If news of him striking a woman got out, his reputation would be tarnished, and his company's success could suffer - something he couldn't bear.
Marrissa's gasp caught Erickson's attention, and he wondered why she was there, standing beside Dawson of all people.
"I wouldn't like to stain my image by associating with worthless beings like you," Dawson cursed, forcefully grabbing Marrissa's hand and dragging her away.
"Seriously, this man is insane," Faustina muttered, looking at Dawson as if he were a fool.
Erickson glanced at Marrissa and smiled warmly. "Let's go," he said.
...
Dawson continued to drag Marrissa, ignoring her pleas.
"Dawson, stop," she pleaded.
"You're hurting me," Marrissa grimaced.
"Dawson!"
