Chapter 6

Cora had no idea how long she had been crying before she finally managed to get back on her feet.

She had struck her forehead against the corner of the table, too. Blood trickled down her temple, warm and sticky, but she barely felt the pain.

Compared with the agony in her heart, what did a little physical pain matter?

Numbly, she cleaned up the mess on the floor and wrapped her wound with gauze. Then she headed to the hospital.

But the moment she stepped outside, someone grabbed her from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth.

Cora struggled desperately, but she couldn’t fight off the effects of the anesthetic. Gradually, her consciousness faded.

When she woke again, she found herself in an abandoned warehouse.

Madison stood before her, smiling brightly, triumph written all over her face.

“Well? Do you like the little surprise I prepared for you?”

Cora gritted her teeth, anger surging through her.

“So it really was you! You deliberately leaked the news to make Ethan misunderstand me, just so you could prove that you’re the woman he loves most!”

Madison raised an eyebrow and shook her head leisurely.

“Yes and no. I did it to make you understand your place. Don’t even think about competing with me for Ethan Caldwell.

“Your place in Ethan’s heart is nowhere near as important as mine.

“Otherwise, why would the Caldwell family agree to hand you over to me just because I asked?”

The words struck Cora like a thunderclap, leaving her mind completely blank.

She had never imagined that the Caldwell family had actually permitted Madison to kidnap her.

“No! That’s impossible!”

Desperately, Cora fumbled for her phone, determined to call Ethan and confirm the truth herself.

Madison watched with open mockery. Even when she saw Cora reach for her phone, she made no move to stop her. Instead, she calmly waited for the call to connect.

Sure enough, Ethan answered.

His voice sounded exhausted.

“Cora, stop making a scene.

“Do you have any idea how much damage your recklessness has caused the company? It took a tremendous amount of effort to suppress the news.”

“Ethan!” Cora interrupted him, tears streaming down her face. “I’m in Madison’s hands…”

Ethan fell silent for a moment before replying in a low voice.

“The Parker family agreed to preserve the marriage alliance on one condition: that you be taught some manners.

“Madison may be willful, but she’s not a bad person at heart.

“You did something wrong this time, so you deserve a little punishment. Just behave and accept it. I’ll come get you when this is all over.”

The call ended without hesitation.

Cora refused to believe it. She called again and again, but Ethan never answered.

The contempt on Madison’s face pierced Cora’s heart like a blade.

At last, she understood. When it came to absolute power and self-interest, love meant nothing.

The boy who had once sworn to protect her for the rest of his life was gone. All that remained was a shrewd businessman.

After savoring the despair on Cora’s face for long enough, Madison curled her lips into a smile.

“Good. Have you finally given up hope? Now, ruin her face!”

At her command, four or five bodyguards rushed forward and surrounded Cora.

A sharp blade slashed mercilessly across her face, unleashing pain so intense it felt as though her soul were being torn apart.

She trembled from the agony, yet she refused to make a sound.

She would remember this pain. She would remember this despair.

If Ethan had chosen to abandon their past, then he could not blame her for becoming ruthless. This time, she would make every one of them pay.

Cora had no idea how long the torture lasted.

By the end, her face had been mutilated beyond recognition. The pain was so unbearable that her heart had long since gone numb.

She fixed her gaze on Madison and spoke each word with deliberate clarity.

“You’ll pay for what you’ve done to me. I’ll make sure of it myself!”