4

Vivian admired her nails, her voice slow and deliberate.

"I spent a fortune making sure that video landed in your feed. Worth every penny.

"Audrey, you must see it by now, don't you? What could someone in your position possibly offer him?

"You think you've got heart? So do I! But I'm the one who can actually help him. I'm the one who belongs by his side!"

I looked at Vivian's crazed expression and felt nothing.

"You want him? He's all yours."

Vivian blinked, clearly not expecting that from me.

"You mean it? You think I'd actually believe you?"

The next second, Vivian gave me a vicious grin, grabbed me, and pulled us both backward into the door.

The momentum sent my hand raking across her face, and my jeweled nails tore a gash deep enough to expose bone.

The worn-out door couldn't take the impact and shattered into pieces.

Dust exploded around me, and tiny splinters dug into my skin, bringing tears to my eyes.

"Audrey!"

Lucian's voice cracked with panic.

He moved to pick me up, but the moment he saw Vivian's face, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Lucian..."

Vivian's tears spilled instantly.

"Audrey called me a slut... said she was going to strangle me...

"Lucian, my face hurts so much... Am I going to be disfigured? Is no one ever going to want me?"

"No, no. Of course not."

Lucian murmured softly, his eyes full of tenderness.

When he turned to me, all that was left was ice.

"Audrey, I thought you were just being moody. But now... you've disappointed me beyond words."

A jagged splinter had pierced straight through my palm. I was pinned in place, my breathing slowly weakening.

"Lucian..."

He saw. He clearly saw. But in the end, he turned away, scooped Vivian into his arms, and strode out.

"This is what you get, Audrey.

"If anything happens to Vivian, I won't let you off."

"I didn't hurt her..."

My voice dissolved into the air. No one answered.

I tasted the salt of my tears and smelled the metallic reek of blood.

Somewhere nearby came a rustling sound. I thought Lucian had come back and struggled to lift my head.

"Take me to—"

But it wasn't Lucian.

Several ugly, leering men towered over me, openly sizing me up.

"So this is the one going after Vivian's man?"

"Not bad. Great body, pretty face. Blame it on her for falling for the wrong guy. Lucky us, right, boys?"

Hands pawed all over me, their stench making me gag.

I clenched my teeth, my eyes so bloodshot they seemed ready to bleed.

"I'm promised to the Bennetts. You wouldn't dare..."

Before I could finish, a vicious slap cracked across my face. My head snapped to the side, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth.

"The Bennetts? Keep dreaming. You're just some woman the boss is done with."

A heavy body bore down on me. I was about to shut my eyes in despair.

Then gunshots rang out.

The man on top of me went limp. The rest crumpled to the ground.

I struggled out from beneath him. A broad hand appeared in front of me, offered with impeccable courtesy.

"I'm sorry, Audrey. I should have been here sooner."

...

After days without a word from me, Lucian's already grim expression darkened further.

This had never happened before.

"No. I need to see what game Audrey is playing."

The second he stood, Vivian caught his sleeve with a small, helpless tug.

"Lucian."

Her tears fell.

"I'm glad it was me this time and not someone else. But if you just forgive Audrey like it's nothing, what happens the next time she goes too far?"

Lucian looked at her shaking and crying, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Vivian had a point.

You couldn't coddle a woman. Besides, where could Audrey go without him?

"Lucian, I heard the Bennett heir is getting married at the end of the month, and you still haven't chosen your plus-one. With Audrey gone, I'd be happy to step in..."

Lucian had been too busy these past few days to look at the invitation properly.

As a fellow heir, he was expected to attend. He had planned to use the occasion to introduce Audrey publicly as his future wife.

But given recent events, Audrey clearly wasn't ready to stand beside him in public. She needed more testing.

Lucian made his decision. "As compensation, I'll put your name down as my plus-one."

He opened the digital invitation, missing the smile Vivian couldn't quite keep off her face.

But the instant he read the bride's name, the phone slipped from his fingers and hit the floor with a crack.