Chapter 2

"Geez! Have the security guards at Judd Group always been slacking off like this? Why did they let just anyone in?"

I had lost all strength in my body, curling into a tight ball on the floor, but I held on to the file in my arms, as if my life depended on it.

After seven years at the top-secret research unit, the project was finally approaching its conclusion. Celeste was once Daniel's student. He made a point of stressing that I had to deliver the file into her hands intact.

However, it was precisely because of my action that Ethan immediately noticed the document envelope in my arms. He raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity amid his hostile gaze. Immediately, I read his mind and eagerly shook my head.

"Look at him, Ethan. After everything, he's still clinging to that stupid envelope. Who knows? Maybe there's a love letter to Ms. Judd in there. I heard all these newbies want to take the shady route nowadays.

"I even saw online how some interns tried to seduce their bosses, swapping out their résumés for racy photos…"

Those words were nothing short of a spark, igniting the full fury in Ethan's heart. He gritted his teeth, his gaze cold and murderous as he advanced step by step.

"You filthy, broke loser. Trying to seduce rich women, huh? I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget today. From now on, you'll think twice before you even look at a woman!"

Suddenly, an unnatural strength pulled me off the ground. They each grabbed an arm, hoisting me into midair. Amid the chaos, I saw Ethan rummaging through the drawer.

In the end, he walked toward me, his smile sinister, a blade in his hand.

"N-No!" I yelled. "This is all a misunderstanding! I didn't come here to seduce anyone!"

No sooner had the words left my mouth than Ethan lifted his leg and drove his pointed leather shoe into my stomach. I yelped, the pain so sudden that I felt my vision going black.

Cold sweat drenched my back as if I had been dipped into the pool. The next second, a rush of blood filled my throat, and my stomach rebelled. I threw up violently.

"Ew! That's disgusting!"

The two lackeys who had hoisted me immediately jumped away, while I collapsed to the floor like a beaten-up pillow. I was in so much pain that I couldn't utter a word.

Yet, this was far from Ethan's satisfaction. He crashed down on top of me, straddling me.

"You shameless sugar baby. You should've spent your youth doing something good instead of going after rich women! I'm going to be the son-in-law of the Judd family, while you? You're nothing to me!"

He leaned in, threading his fingers through my hair before tightening his grip and forcing my head up. Laughing softly, he casually drew the blade across my face.

"Your eyebrows will be the only casualty today. Try to make a fool of yourself again, and I'll shave off every last bit of hair on your head."

Of course, he wasn't going easy on me. The blade dragged across my skin, leaving behind plenty of cuts with fresh blood oozing out. By then, I had already been tortured to the point of losing consciousness, barely keeping track of what he was doing to me.

An employee guffawed. "Oh, my gosh—look at him without eyebrows! He looks like a freak!"

"Serves him right. We should strip him naked, take photos of him, and paste them on the walls of our lobby. That way, anyone who tries to hit on Ms. Judd will automatically back off!"

Soon, one of them righteously pulled out their phone and aimed the camera at me.

Ignoring my humble pleas, Ethan ripped open my shirt, borrowed a lipstick from a female colleague, and wrote plenty of profane words on my body.

The employees around me murmured in sympathy, and some even turned on their flashlights to capture my current state.

"Go to hell! I've had enough of shameless sugar babies like you!"

"As long as Ethan's here, no man can meet Ms. Judd in one piece."

Ethan unlocked my phone and opened my contacts. At the top were my parents' numbers, as well as Celeste's. Furious, he grabbed a fountain pen from the desk and stabbed it into the back of my hand.