Chapter 5

Stella said, "She's not important. I heard that Eric came here today."

Her gaze was calculating.

Luke smirked wickedly. "You've got your eye on him? You'd better check with Joanna first. Everyone knows he treats her like she's his world. As long as she wants something, Eric never says no to her."

Stella's brows furrowed. "Joanna? But no one's seen her before, right?"

Luke sneered at me. "That woman over there just claimed to be Joanna."

Stella spat at me. "She isn't even worthy of being Joanna's maid!"

She appraised my barely clothed and bloodied state, then pulled out her phone to snap a few photos.

"How pitiful you look. I suppose Victor might like it. Should I send him these photos now, or wait until the other men get to you first, then take a video afterward?"

I couldn't speak, so I could only glare at her with all the hatred I had.

Upset at my expression, she reached for the knife, wanting to cut out my tongue herself.

But at the moment her hand touched it, the door swung open again.

Eric stood there, holding a small amulet.

"Where did you get this?"

A surge of hope flooded me when I saw that. I whimpered, desperate to get his attention.

Luke gave a signal, and someone shoved a rag back into my mouth.

He forced a smile. "I've never seen it before. Someone probably just dropped it accidentally."

Eric's boot connected with his face, grinding him into the ground.

"I'll ask one more time. Where did this come from?"

His voice was low and menacing, sending shivers down everyone's spine.

Luke trembled. "Sir, I swear, I don't know. I've never seen it before. Ah!"

A blade was driven through his palm.

Eric's eyes were like a hawk's. He said, "This is your territory. Nobody enters here without your permission. I'll ask again. Where is she?"

"Gone!"

The veins on Luke's forehead throbbed, and his teeth began chattering. "A car just happened to pass by, and someone dropped that out of the window."

Eric's piercing gaze locked on him.

After a full minute, he finally spoke again, his chin lifting slightly toward me.

"Who is that woman?"

Luke couldn't claim that I was his wife again. He nervously told Eric that I had been brought here by someone, though he didn't know exactly who.

Eric walked slowly toward me. His soft footsteps sounded like thunder.

I widened my eyes, silently begging him to recognize me.

He hooked his fingers under my chin, turning my face left and right. My heart raced as I pushed my tongue against the rag, desperate to spit it out.

Then, he flung me aside.

"Disgusting."

He hadn't recognized me.

It made sense. My hair was matted with blood, and my face was streaked with it, too. Anyone would fail to recognize me.

Eric turned to leave, but I lunged and grabbed his leg. The rag flew out of my mouth as I clutched him.

But my jaw had been stretched open too long for me to speak.

So, I bit his knee instead. As he looked down, I raised my hand high.

My index finger bore a deep scar down to the bone.

He had cut me by accident once before, so surely he would remember that!