Chapter 4

With that, Zoey turned to leave.

But before she could take another step, Summer shoved her down the stairs.

Zoey tumbled down the hard steps, her body battered and bruised. Blood seeped from cuts all over her skin.

She landed in a pool of her own blood, trembling uncontrollably as dizziness washed over her.

Struggling to keep her eyes open, she looked up.

Summer stood above her, wearing a smug, triumphant smile.

"Walk away? You really think you can just walk away? If the Shaw family hadn't lost everything, you wouldn't even have been worthy of shining Xavier's shoes!"

"I'm going to show you exactly what happens to cheap little nobodies like you. Stop dreaming that you'll ever belong in our world!"

After spitting out those vicious words, Summer clapped her hands.

Three thugs with dyed blond hair appeared.

They rushed at Zoey, grabbing her arms and legs and pinning her down.

With cruel grins, they began tearing at her clothes.

Zoey had never experienced anything like this.

Her face went deathly pale as she fought back with everything she had.

But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.

Their fingers dug into her skin, leaving dark bruises as they pulled at her clothes, exposing parts of her body.

Then, just as terror threatened to overwhelm her, she heard a familiar voice.

"Summer, who was that just now? What are you doing here?"

It was Xavier.

Summer turned and spotted him standing just a few steps away.

She quickly gestured behind her back, signaling the men to drag Zoey out of sight.

"Oh, nothing. A nurse asked me to take care of some paperwork. I've finished everything now."

For the first time, Zoey felt a flicker of hope.

She struggled desperately, sank her teeth into one thug's hand, and cried out for help.

"Xavier Shaw! Help me!"

Xavier, who had been about to leave, stopped abruptly when he heard the familiar cry.

"Why did I just hear..."

"Hear what? Nobody said anything, Xavier. Are you imagining things?"

Summer panicked for a moment.

She quickly caught his arm, trying to lead him away.

But something didn't feel right to Xavier.

He could still hear noises coming from the stairwell, and his first instinct was to investigate.

"Something might be wrong. I'll go check."

He'd barely taken a step when Summer deliberately fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Xavier immediately turned back and hurried to help her up.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Summer forced a few tears into her eyes and looked up at him helplessly.

"I think I twisted my ankle. But it's fine. Go ahead and check."

Without a second thought, Xavier scooped her into his arms and hurried back toward her hospital room.

His parting words echoed through the stairwell.

"How can I leave when you're hurt? Nothing matters more to me than you."

Once his footsteps faded, the three thugs breathed sighs of relief.

They glared viciously at Zoey, whose mouth they were still covering.

"What was the point of screaming? Mr. Shaw heard you, didn't he? And he still couldn't care less whether you live or die!"

"Miss Hayes told us you're always throwing yourself at men and trying to get them into bed. So you'd better be good and show us a nice time. If you keep us happy, maybe we'll let you live!"

Their threats were unmistakable.

Terror filled Zoey's eyes.

Then she spotted the handle of a knife sticking out of one man's pocket.

The fear of being killed washed over her.

She immediately stopped struggling.

Satisfied that she'd stopped resisting, the men loosened their grip.

They began discussing where to take her, deciding that there were too many people around and that the parking garage would be a better place.

As they dragged her downstairs, they kept grabbing at her body.

Zoey felt sick to her stomach.

But she forced herself to stay quiet, carefully studying her surroundings.

When they reached a corner, two of the men stopped to light cigarettes.

Zoey seized her chance.

She drove her elbow into the third man, broke free, and sprinted into a nearby hospital room.

She slammed the door and locked it.

Almost immediately, the men began pounding on it, shouting curses and threats.

Zoey looked around the empty room, her heart hammering so hard it felt ready to burst out of her chest.

She knew the door wouldn't hold them for long.

She ran straight to the window.

Below her was a pool, and several patients were strolling through the hospital garden nearby.

She didn't hesitate.

The moment the men kicked the door open, she jumped.

She plunged more than sixty feet into the water below.

The impact sent a violent shock through her body.

As the water closed around her, her consciousness slowly faded.

Zoey remained unconscious for an entire day and night.

When she finally opened her eyes, Xavier was there.

He sat beside her hospital bed, holding her hand tightly, his eyes filled with concern.

"Zoey, how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

Zoey glanced around the room before answering in a hoarse voice.

"I'm fine. What happened to those men?"

"They've been taken to the police station. Don't worry. After what they did to you, I swear I won't let them get away with it."

There was barely contained anger in his voice. He sounded genuinely furious.

But Zoey didn't care what he intended to do to them.

There was something far more important she needed to know.

"Did they say who sent them?"

Xavier paused, then shook his head.

"No. They said they saw you alone and decided to take advantage of the situation. This is my fault. I was so caught up in my own problems that I neglected you. If I'd been paying more attention, those men never would've had the chance to target you."

Zoey knew there was no way she'd be able to hold Summer accountable now.

She closed her eyes briefly, exhaustion weighing heavily on her.

"Then what have you been so busy with these past few days?"

Xavier fell silent for a moment.

"I've been... dealing with things at the company."

At his answer, Zoey dug her nails into her fingers.

Anger and heartbreak surged through her, threatening to overwhelm her.

She couldn't hold back any longer.

She needed to hear the truth from him.

"Have you really been busy with work, Xavier? Or have you been busy planning your wedding to Summer?"