Chapter 3

I pushed open the rosewood door. A crystal chandelier glittered overhead, while beneath my feet lay a priceless, handwoven rug.

The air was thick with the scent of premium agarwood, and the sheer luxury was almost suffocating.

The moment Kai saw what was inside, his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. "Holy shit… How much is that painting on the wall worth?"

Eliana's eyes gleamed with greed. "Any one of those vases could probably buy our entire office building!"

Kai flashed me a lecherous grin. "Once this bitch gives Mr. Harlan a good time tonight, he might reward us with a few things from this suite!"

I leaned against the doorframe with a stoic expression.

My gaze swept over the enormous oil painting on the wall. The woman in it had gentle, delicate features. It was my mother.

Meanwhile, a family portrait was partially visible on the sandalwood table beside it.

Hugh noticed me staring intently at the oil painting and narrowed his eyes slightly. He warned me coldly, "Wipe that disgusting look off your face. A cheap whore like you only has any value because you happen to look a little like her."

When I remained unfazed, his patience ran thin, and he grasped my wrist. His lecherous gaze raked over my torn lingerie. "If he hadn't specifically asked for a virgin, I'd take you right here and now!"

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Is this how Tristan trains his men? Looks like someone really ought to throw you into the moat and teach you a proper lesson."

Hugh flew off the handle and raised his hand to slap me.

Just then, Kai gasped, "Wait… why does the girl in this photo look so much like you when you were little?" He reached out to grab the photograph.

"How dare you touch Mr. Harlan's belongings? Do you have a death wish?" A woman's shrill voice rang out.

In walked a woman teetering on four-and-three-quarter-inch red-bottomed stilettos—Vivian Kincaid. She was a partner at Harlan Group who had tried to seduce Dad. I had watched with my own eyes as Dad swept her out the door.

I never would have imagined that, after all her persistence, Dad had eventually taken her in after all.

However, the moment her gaze landed on my face, her arrogance instantly turned into venomous jealousy. "Your face…"

Vivian looked down at me and pinched my chin, her eyes filled with utter madness. "You're nothing but a lowly plaything, yet you have the nerve to carry yourself like you own the place. Now, get on your knees and answer me!"

I slapped her hand away, unable to hide the coldness in my eyes. "Get your filthy hands off me! Who the hell do you think you are to order me to get on my knees? Before you lay a finger on me, you'd better think very carefully about whether Tristan will chop you up and feed you to the fish!"

After hearing that, she was so furious that she cackled. Her face contorted with rage. "You've got some nerve!" she snarled before slapping me.

I jerked my head to the side. Her palm missed, causing her to stagger a step forward.

Vivian shrieked hysterically, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

I smiled. "What if I told you I'm the one woman Tristan could never have? Would you believe me?"

After all, he'd spent all these years begging me just to see me, and I had never once agreed. In a way, that counted as being unattainable, right?

As soon as the words left my mouth, a deathly silence blanketed the room.

Vivian froze for a split second before the malice in her eyes overflowed. "Let's see how you can still be the woman he can't have if I ruin you today! Get over here and hold her down!"

Kai lunged at me and pinned me against the cold marble floor. "Ms. Kincaid, please calm down. This bitch just doesn't know what's good for her! She's rotten to the core. Do whatever you want with her. If you cripple her, I'll take the blame!"

Eliana hurried after her and planted her foot firmly on the fingers I had braced against the floor. The pain shot straight to my heart, and cold sweat instantly soaked through my back.

Vivian sneered and picked up a box cutter. Slowly, she crouched down and lifted my chin with the cold back of the blade. "What unattainable love? It's only because you happen to have a face you never should have been born with!"

The cold blade dragged across my skin, sending a deathly shiver down my spine. A single drop of crimson blood slowly trickled down the silver blade before splattering onto the floor.

"Imagine how nice it would be if I carved the word 'slut' right into that pretty face of yours!" Vivian raised the box cutter high above her head, poised to drive it down with all of her strength.

With my life in danger, I tilted my head back and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Tristan Harlan, get your ass out here right now! If anything happens to me, you'll have to die with your eyes wide open!"