Chapter 2

Whitney had her guard up against me. She twisted to the side to dodge my lunge before grabbing me by the hair and slamming my head against the floor with all her strength.

My vision went dark. The world seemed to spin. A warm, sticky sensation immediately started trickling down my forehead.

She didn't give me a second to catch my breath. Flipping me over, she sat on top of me and drove her knee hard into my spine.

"Don't bother trying to do anything. Do you think I spent these three years with you for nothing? I know all your habits and your temper better than you do!

"Each time you try to resist, I'll beat you up. I'll keep going until you learn to behave like the dog you are!" Whitney snarled.

Gritting through the pain, I twisted hard, trying to break free from her. The next second, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my side. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably.

Whitney was treating me, her husband, like an enemy. She had no qualms using a stun baton on me.

I collapsed onto the floor, my body limp. The only thing I could do was gasp for air. I didn't even have the strength to lift a single finger.

She finally released me and stared down at me, her eyes utterly devoid of warmth.

"You'd better keep quiet and stay still. Don't force me to resort to more extreme measures."

The moment Whitney finished speaking, Samuel came strutting in, dressed in a sharp suit, his polished shoes spotless.

After taking in the miserable state I was in, he walked up to me with a mocking expression. Nudging my numb body with his foot, he remarked, "Look at you now, Caleb."

His voice dripped with the arrogance and satisfaction of someone who'd won.

"You used to act all cocky, vowing that you'd acquire Havenshire Group from me. Well, how does it feel to be all bound and defenseless like some trapped and wounded animal now, huh?"

He crouched down, the smug smile turning even more sinister.

"You lost to me both in your career and in love. Kelly and Whitney, the two women you loved, ended up being on my side instead. Don't you think your life has been nothing but a big fat joke, Caleb?"

The searing pain in my body and the humiliation in my heart intertwined to burn away what little sanity I had left. Nevertheless, I continued to clench my jaw. That last attempt at resistance had already drained every ounce of strength I had.

I forced myself to calm down, keeping my gaze hollow and unfocused. My lack of reaction made Samuel gloat even more.

He grabbed a document from the inner pocket of his suit. It was a share transfer agreement, but the signature above my name was clearly not a match for my handwriting.

Samuel waved the document in front of me, as if bragging about his winning trophy.

"Take a good look at this. Your company's shares will be mine very soon. You spent three years working your ass off, but in the end, I'm the one who gets to enjoy the fruit of all your labor.

"How does that feel, huh? This is what you get for getting in my way!"

His arrogant face loomed larger and larger before me. I suddenly jerked my head up and used the last of my strength to slam my forehead into his knee.

"Don't celebrate so soon, Samuel! Even if I die, I'm taking you down with me!"

The blow carried no real force. In my weakened state, I couldn't even make him stumble. Yet he clutched his knee and cried out in exaggeration, "My knee! How dare you injure me, Caleb!"

He staggered back and fell heavily to the floor, pretending to be in unbearable pain. It was so over-the-top that anyone with half a brain should've known he was faking it. However, it instantly made Whitney and Kelly feel a pang of heartache.

"Caleb!"

The two women were whipped into a frenzy, and they came charging at me. Their slaps and kicks rained down on me.

Whitney even grabbed a spare metal chain from the floor and wrapped it tightly around my left leg.