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Chapter 4

Author: Sterling
It was Elena.

She still had my mother's emerald on, and she held a dagger in her other hand.

"You're finally awake."

She crouched in front of me and tapped my cheek with the flat of the blade.

"Yesterday Marco only locked you in the basement, so I thought he couldn't bear to hurt you.

"Turns out he just didn't want you dying at the estate."

I stared at the blade against my cheek.

"You'd dare kill me?"

Elena laughed.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm still Marco's wife.

"If I die, he won't let you get away with it."

She threw back her head and laughed as if I'd told a joke.

"Lia, you still don't get it?

"Without Marco's say-so, who could get you out of the Ferrante estate?"

My heart sank.

"You're lying."

"Am I?

"Why do you think that maid dared to open the basement door?

"Without his nod, I couldn't even walk out the front gate of the Ferrante estate."

She grabbed my hair and forced my head up.

"Lia, Marco handed you over himself.

"He stopped wanting you a long time ago. He just didn't divorce you because of how it would look.

"Once you're dead, I get to be Mrs. Ferrante."

I froze.

I'd thought he simply didn't love me anymore.

He doesn't even care whether I live or die.

I lifted my head, looked at Elena, and said coldly, "Then you'd better kill me now.

"Because if I get out of here alive, I'll make you and Marco pay!"

"You're asking for it!" Elena raised the dagger.

The warehouse door swung open.

"Stop."

A tall man walked in.

He had a skull tattoo on his wrist and a scar on his face.

Elena froze mid-motion.

"Damian?"

She dropped the dagger and threw herself into his arms.

Damian Roche wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her right in front of me.

I finally understood.

Those years Elena spent overseas weren't just about getting treatment.

She'd hooked up with this man a long time ago.

"Perfect timing," Elena said, leaning against Damian and pointing at me. "Kill her for me."

"She can't die."

Elena's smile froze.

"Didn't you bring her here so I could get back at her?"

"Getting back at her doesn't mean killing her."

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"You're protecting her?

"Damian, do you have a thing for her?"

Damian pushed her away impatiently.

"Marco wants Port Saint-Louis.

"Until the port's handed over, she can't die."

Elena blinked.

"What port?"

"That's none of your business."

"What are you and Marco hiding from me?"

Damian didn't answer.

He sat down in front of me and put a pen and paper on the table.

"Write to your father, and I'll let you go.

"I'll tell you what to write."

He dictated the words.

"Dad, Damian has me.

"Give him Port Saint-Louis, and I'll come home alive."

I looked at him.

"What do you want Port Saint-Louis for?"

"To move a few shipments."

I laughed.

"Someone like you isn't shipping wine and flowers."

Damian's smile faded.

"You don't need to know what it is.

"Write the letter."

"No."

He grabbed my injured hand and jammed the pen between my fingers.

The cut split open again.

Blood dripped onto the paper.

"Write!"

I lifted my hand and tore the paper in half.

Damian stared at the torn paper on the floor.

"Get her hands in there."

Two men forced both my hands into a metal bucket full of ice water.

The cold seeped into my bones, starting at my fingertips.

Before long, I couldn't feel my fingers at all.

Damian held out a fresh sheet of paper.

"Changed your mind?"

I smiled at him.

"Go to hell."

Elena walked over and slapped me so hard my head snapped to the side.

"You still think you're the Moretti family's precious princess?

"Your father has nothing left.

"And Marco doesn't want you."

She lifted her right hand and waved the emerald in front of my eyes.

"Your ring, your husband, your place. They're all mine now."

I licked the blood from my lip.

As long as I'm alive, my father has to choose between Port Saint-Louis and me.

I can't let him lose anything else because of me.

So I lifted my head and gave Elena a taunting smile.

"You climbed into a married man's bed to take my place, and now he's trading his wife for a port.

"A homewrecker and a thief. You two are perfect for each other."

Elena's face changed.

I kept going. "All you stole was a piece of garbage who'd sell his own wife.

"If he can trade me for a port today, tomorrow he'll hand you over to anyone for a payoff.

"No, you're not even his wife.

"You're just another woman he can use without ever having to answer for it.

"As for killing me?"

Elena stared at me, the hatred in her eyes deepening.

"Would you dare?

"Isn't hiding behind men and stealing other people's things the only thing you've ever been good at?

"Without Marco, without Damian, you're lower than a dog!"

"You're asking for it!"

She yanked a gun from a bodyguard's waistband.

The cold barrel pressed against my forehead.

"Elena!"

Damian barked at her to stop.

Her finger was already on the trigger.

"We can find another port.

"As long as she's alive, I'll never be Mrs. Ferrante."

I closed my eyes.

The next second, someone kicked the heavy warehouse door open.

"Who dares lay a hand on my woman?"
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