Chapter 7

Just as Madison was about to open the car door, her phone rang. Answering the call, she knocked on the window, confused. "Is that you in the car, Elroy?"

"My pants are torn," Elroy answered. "Can you go to the lounge and bring me a change of clothes?"

She didn't think much of it and turned back to fetch some. As soon as he hung up, Elroy turned back to Zachary, whose mouth was still covered.

"Trying to call for help? You think Mads came here to save you? I'll show you today just who actually matters to her."

With that, Elroy tore his clothes and smeared some eyeshadow over his skin.

When Madison returned, she saw Elroy climbing out of the car with his clothes in disarray and his hair a mess. Fear filled his eyes as his shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

More importantly, there were patches of purple and green all over his body.

Madison rushed over, furious. "Who did this to you?"

Terrified, Elroy cowered behind her, his gaze falling on Zachary inside the car. "I-It was Mr. Suffold. He threatened me and told me to break up with you, or he'd beat me to death."

He sounded utterly pitiful, fueling the anger on Madison's face.

Zachary was just about to deny the accusation when she grabbed his hair and yanked him out of the car. "How dare you lay a hand on Elroy!"

Before he could react, she slapped him hard across the face.

Zachary's ear rang. His head spun, and he instantly tasted blood in his mouth. "I didn't do it!" he shouted, trying to defend himself.

Elroy's friends immediately backed him up. "Mads, we saw it happening! Your assistant was acting like a tough guy, going after Elroy and even threatening to beat us up too!"

"Yeah! Don't let his obedient act fool you! He's a different person behind your back! Just look at what he's done to Elroy!"

Madison's eyes practically blazed with anger. "You hear that? They all saw it! How dare you still deny it!"

Zachary knew there was no point explaining. He could only tug at his sleeves, hoping to show her who the real victim was.

Seeing what he was trying to do, Elroy's friends hurried over and pinned his hands down.

"Mads, why don't you take Elroy to change first? We'll deal with this guy."

Elroy took the opportunity to block Madison's view. The others held Zachary down, pinning his hands and covering his mouth to stop him from speaking.

In the end, she said nothing. She merely shot Zachary a cold look, then walked off with Elroy. That left Zachary alone with Elroy's friends in the courtyard.

Zachary looked around. This was a villa in the suburbs, and the place was probably full of Elroy's people. Even if he called for help, no one would come to his rescue.

A deep sense of hopelessness engulfed him.

The men crouched in front of him, looking smug. "Do you get it now? Mads loves our boy, Elroy. You're nothing but a homewrecker trying to ruin what they have. You deserve to be taught a lesson."

With that, one of them grabbed Zachary by the hair and hurled him straight into the swimming pool.

The water was frigid, chilling Zachary to the bone. He thrashed back to the surface, only for those hands to force him underwater again.

An overwhelming sense of suffocation drowned him.

His chest felt ready to burst. He could barely see anything. Every time he broke the surface, someone shoved him back down.

It went on and on, like an endless punishment. He grew weaker with every passing moment, and his consciousness was slipping away.

At one moment, he even contemplated giving up. If he died, he could at least see Madelyn again.

Just as he gave up struggling and started sinking toward the bottom, the men on the poolside panicked.

"Did he actually drown?"

"Get him out now!"

A second before passing out, Zachary was pulled out of the water.

A man kicked him hard in the chest. He coughed up a mouthful of murky water, every breath tearing his chest apart.

Madison was coming downstairs when she witnessed the scene. Her eyes widened in shock.