Chapter 3

Well, Chelsea wasn't wrong.

I had changed. I was no longer the arrogant and extravagant playboy from the most affluent family in the entire city. Instead, I was just Chelsea's and Derrick's plaything now.

I got into the car and quietly went into the backseat.

Scenes of the street rushed past outside the window, and my fingers slowly tightened. Were we on the way to Weston Cemetery?

The car had only just rolled to a stop when I immediately pushed open the door and rushed out.

I was completely stunned by what I saw.

The once neat rows of tombstones had all vanished, and they were now replaced by neatly-arranged rows of punching bags and other training equipment. Several young men in sports gear were sparring in the area.

I stumbled and grabbed a passing staff member.

"Where are the graves? Where are the graves belonging to the Archer family? Mr. and Mrs. Archer?"

The staff member looked at me in surprise. "They've been moved away a long time ago. Ms. Herrera bought this land and converted it into an open-air boxing gym specifically for Mr. Carpenter's training."

Another staff member piped up. "That's right! Ms. Herrera is truly devoted to Mr. Carpenter! She heard that this was prime real estate with the best views, previously treasured by the former city billionaire, and bought it for him immediately!"

A short distance away, Derrick curled his lips into a wicked grin and said, "I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to locate your parents' graves and ashes, Jacob, so I had them all tossed behind the mountain instead."

My mind went blank, and I hurriedly rushed behind the mountain like a madman to find them.

There was a sudden torrential downpour just then, and a landslide suddenly occurred before my eyes, instantly burying me underneath the dirt.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but I pried away the rocks and mud pressing down on me. My fingernails cracked and bled profusely, and my old and new wounds reopened in the heavy rain.

I turned into a bloody, gruesome mess in just a short amount of time.

About an hour later, I finally saw a familiar bluestone slab with the last name "Archer" carved into it. I tensed up at once and instantly began digging with my bloodied fingers, crying my heart out in anguish.

Suddenly, Chelsea's shouts came from afar.

"Jacob Archer! Come here right this instant!"

However, it was Derrick who found me first. He was so enraged that he kicked me to the ground and stomped all over my head repeatedly.

"Fuck you, Jacob Archer! Why won't you just die, you fucking loser! Chelsea would have been all mine if only you'd died on the island!"

I'd completely run out of energy by then and just lay on the ground, letting him do whatever the hell he wanted to me.

As I struggled to breathe, I thought I saw Chelsea's figure coming toward us from afar.

Derrick suddenly whispered in my ear and cackled. "Wanna guess who she's gonna save between the two of us?"

He then grabbed me and threw both of us over the cliff. Just as we fell off, he maneuvered the angles just right so that I would be the one cushioning his fall.

My body struck against a sharp rock that pierced through my shoulders and abdomen. In the last of my consciousness, I saw Chelsea rushing over to us and picking Derrick up in her arms in a fluster.

It reminded me of how she also rushed in to save Derrick from the office fire without hesitation years ago but locked me up with the flames.

I felt the last of my body temperature leaving me. I reached my hand out toward her with much difficulty and mustered every last ounce of my strength to call out to her.

"S-Save me…"

Chelsea turned when she heard my voice. Her pupils were trembling, but Derrick leaned weakly against her just then and said, "I think I sprained my ankle, Chels…"

She tore her eyes away from me and looked at him.

"Stay put and hold on, Jacob. I'll call an ambulance for you after I get Ricky to safety."

Then, she turned and helped Derrick away without looking back.

I watched her resolute figure walking farther and farther away from me. Then, my gaze landed on the urn with my parents' ashes that had been washed out of the mud and sand by the rain not too far away from me.

It seemed as though my parents were standing in the rain and talking to me.

"We believe in you, Jacob! You have to survive!"

Fresh blood trickled out of my mouth as I bit on my tongue, forcing myself to stay conscious.

I couldn't afford to die just yet. I still hadn't made them pay.