Chapter 3

My dad told me Liam's family paid a massive price to push this merger through.

If they knew it all fell apart because of Liam? I would pay good money to see the look on his face.

That thought calmed me down. I couldn't be bothered arguing with these idiots anymore. I turned to leave.

But Mia wasn't done.

She stomped toward me in her stilettos like a hyena smelling blood. Two massive bodyguards flanked her. Bulging muscles under their suits. They had that dangerous mercenary vibe.

"You bitch! You think you can just walk away? You stole from me and put your hands on me! We are not done!"

I gave her a cold look. "What exactly do you want?"

She mistook my patience for fear. Her hand swung hard at my face.

"I'm going to beat you until I feel better!"

Before her slap landed, I grabbed her wrist and twisted it hard. At the same time, I slapped her across the face with my other hand. Right in the nose.

Mia clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief. "You cheap, broke bitch! How dare you—"

"How dare I what?" I cut her off, slapping her other cheek just as hard. "Is that enough to make you feel better?"

Those two slaps completely knocked the arrogance right out of her.

Tears spilled from her eyes. She stumbled back, hiding behind Liam like a human shield. "Liam, she hit me! You have to do something!"

Liam shielded her. He glared at me, eyes dark as ink.

"You dared to hit her? You have a death wish."

He gave a subtle hand signal to his guards.

Several heavy-duty guards rushed me at once. I took down the first one, but the rest were too fast.

A heavy punch slammed into my stomach at a brutal angle. Agony shot through my entire body. I doubled over, dry heaving, struggling to breathe. A sickening taste of blood quickly filled my mouth.

My legs gave out. Two guards roughly grabbed me by the hair. Forced my head up and dragged me right in front of Liam and Mia.

Liam touched Mia's swollen cheek, speaking softly. "Do whatever you want to her. If anything happens, I've got your back. The Astor empire will bury it."

His words gave Mia a shot of adrenaline.

She spat at me, her face twisted with cruel pleasure.

"Bitch! Weren't you so cocky just now? Come on, keep acting tough!"

Mia stepped up, kicking my shin hard with her stiletto. "You just used that mouth to run yours at me, didn’t you?"

She grabbed me by the throat. Her fingers clamped down like iron tongs. Her long acrylic nails dug into my skin, bringing a suffocating, dull pain.

"If I smash that pretty mouth in and choke the life out of you, let’s see how you’re going to run your mouth then!"

With a nod from her, the two guards pinned my shoulders down. I couldn't move an inch.

I looked up. Blood dripped from the corner of my mouth. I glared dead at Liam and Mia.

"If you actually do this, I swear I will make you pay!"

Mia let out a shrill, manic laugh. "The Astor family rules Wall Street. What the hell are you? Today, I'm going to make sure you never forget what happens when you cross me!"

She raised her hand and slapped me, left and right. The crisp smacks echoed through the hall. My head whipped to the side. My ears were ringing loudly. A thick metallic taste surged up my throat.

Then, both her hands locked around my neck.

The bystanders looked away. Not a single person had the guts to step in.

"She shouldn't have messed with the Astor family."

"What a shame. She's going to be half-dead after this. Against a Wall Street dynasty, you either bow down, or you die."

Extreme suffocation made my vision go dark. Survival instinct kicked in. I struggled desperately, clawing at Mia's arms.

Revenge could wait. But if I died here, it was all over.

As Mia tightened her grip, my resolve shattered.

"I was wrong! The diamond is yours! Take it! Please, let me go!"

But Mia didn't stop.

She laughed even harder. Instead of letting go, she dug the heel of her stiletto into the back of my hand, crushing it. A piercing agony shot through me.

"You bitch! Oh, so now you're scared? Too late. You're not leaving here until I say so!"

A painful scream tore from my blood-choked throat. I turned to look at Liam.

"Liam, aren't you afraid of who I am? If you let her do this, you're going to regret it!"

Liam sneered. "Who the hell are you? Just some crazy gold-digger trying to marry into money."

"No! Let go!"

Right then, my phone rang in my bag. I fought against the guards holding me, trying to reach it. But Mia was faster.

She snatched it, glanced at the screen, and picked up with a smirk.

My dad's voice immediately came through. Anxious and worried. "Chloe, why aren't you home yet? Still picking out jewelry?"

I gasped for air and screamed with everything I had, spitting blood. "Dad, help me! They're trying to kill me!"

My dad's voice turned instantly cold. "What? Who is this?"

Mia yelled into the phone. "I'm Mia! Your daughter is a shameless little slut trying to seduce men everywhere. I'm teaching her a lesson for you!"

"I don't care who you are! Let my daughter go! You touch her one more time, and I'll make you regret you were ever born—"

"Come over here if you have the guts!" Mia mocked, cutting him off. Her heel crushed the back of my hand again. I shook violently from the pain.

"I'll be right here waiting. I'm going to beat her half to death, and you're going to listen to it! When you get here, I'll take care of you too!"

She hung up and smashed my phone on the floor. Shattered into pieces.

Five minutes passed.

Not long on a clock. But to me, it felt like a lifetime.

Finally, a fleet of bulletproof Maybachs smashed straight through the trading center's security gates.

My dad stepped out of the car. Dozens of elite bodyguards in black trailed behind him. His black overcoat still carried the chill from his international conference.

He pushed the doors open. His eyes blazed with a cold fury that could shake all of Wall Street.

"Who has the audacity to say they're going to touch my daughter?"