Chapter 7

"I know this woman," one of the inmates scoffed. "She's a crazy gold digger desperate to marry into money. I heard she's been throwing herself at the Carter family's heir. She even stripped to seduce him, but he wouldn't give her the time of day."

"Well, I've never seen anyone so shameless in my life!"

"Hey, newbie! Get your ass over here. You like sucking up to rich men so much? Come here so we can get a good look at you," another inmate taunted.

"Hey! We're talking to you! Are you deaf?" the other snapped.

One of the women shoved Natalie hard, sending her crashing into the wall. Her barely healed bones throbbed with pain, yet it was nothing compared to what she felt inside.

She never thought she would end up in such a pathetic state because of Adrian.

When Natalie didn't respond, her eyes showing neither fear nor hope, the ringleader's face darkened. She raised her hand and slapped the side of Natalie's head. "Hey, bitch, I'm talking to you! Are you mute?"

The blow left Natalie's head spinning. Her teeth caught her lip, tearing the flesh and filling her mouth with blood.

"Go ahead. Beat me to death," Natalie whispered as she looked up, her eyes filled with grim resolve and despair.

Her lack of resistance only egged the women on.

"Well, would you look at that? She's got some guts." The ringleader sneered, "Listen up, you pathetic whore. The Carters told us to take real good care of you the moment you walked in here. And here I've been wondering how to entertain myself!"

A kick caught Natalie before she could dodge, sending her sprawling across the floor. The others closed in, raining kicks and punches down on her.

Natalie could do nothing but curl into herself and wrap an arm around her body.

By the time they were done, Natalie lay sprawled on the floor like a lifeless doll, blood oozing from the corner of her lips.

A glittering gemstone bracelet lay broken in the dust before her.

It was Adrian's gift to her on her 20th birthday.

Back then, Adrian had only been brought back to the Carter family. He had no power or status, and his bank account was constantly being monitored.

He had secretly scraped together the money to buy that bracelet for her by taking on private tutoring jobs.

The bracelet had five small moonstones set into it.

When he placed it in her hands, he told her, "When I bought this, I thought of these five gemstones as a promise of our future. Each gemstone represents one wish. I'll make every one of them come true for you."

That year, the Carter family nearly beat him to death for refusing the arranged marriage.

She had used the first moonstone to wish that Adrian wouldn't worry about her and bravely pursue the life he wanted. As long as she could be with him, she could endure anything.

Three years later, Natalie found out she was pregnant, but the Carter family forced her to terminate it. Adrian had been furious. He nearly fell out with his own father and was ready to leave home with her.

She had used the second moonstone to make him stay, promising him that they could have another child someday.

She had seen too much of what he had endured. She had watched him stay up night after night studying finance until his eyes were strained, seen his palms blister as he learned the etiquette and golf expected of the elite, and watched his back get whipped for the slightest mistake.

Adrian had suffered too much, and she couldn't bear to let her presence ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

So she chose to sacrifice herself.

But in the end, he betrayed her, leaving her completely and utterly defeated.

Natalie's disappointed tears kept falling, leaving dark spots on the floor.

Suddenly, the iron door in front of her creaked open. A correctional officer peered inside before his gaze settled on Natalie. "Natalie Shaw? Come out," he ordered.

Natalie struggled to her feet and made her way outside one unsteady step at a time.

The officer led her outside, where the sunlight was painfully bright.

A tall figure stood silhouetted against the light.

"Someone came to bail you out," the officer said. "You're free to go."

Natalie raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare. Through her swollen eyes, she could barely make out the man standing before her.

It wasn't Adrian. So who was it?