Chapter 4

Time passed slowly; every second was torture. It wasn't until that rainy night that Alexander returned.

He was carrying a blood-soaked Elena. She wasn't actually hurt that badly—just a knife wound on her leg.

It looked gory and shocking, but I could tell at a glance that it missed any major arteries.

Alexander radiated a violent aura. After handing Elena over to the doctor, he turned to me.

"Take her to the torture chamber," he ordered the bodyguards coldly.

I was forced to my knees on the cold stone floor by two burly enforcers.

A short while later, Elena, her wound dressed, limped out, leaning weakly against Alexander’s chest.

"Don... don't blame Ivy. Maybe I accidentally offended her..." She wept beautifully, like a pear blossom bathed in rain.

Alexander looked at her with heartache, then turned his gaze to me. His eyes held only cold judgment.

"According to Omertà and family rules: those who harm a comrade or collude with enemies face the whip."

He took a leather whip soaked in saltwater from the wall and threw it at Elena’s feet.

"Since you were the one who suffered, you take the revenge yourself."

I looked up at him in shock. "Alexander, you’re going to use the whip on me for this lying woman?"

That was an instrument used to punish traitors. A single lash could tear skin and flesh.

Alexander avoided my gaze, his voice stiff but cruel. "This is to teach you a lesson. You did something wrong, and you have to pay the price."

"Ivy, just bear it. Let her vent her anger, and we can put this behind us."

Elena shakily picked up the whip, looking at me with feigned fear. "I... I don't dare... I've never hit anyone..."

Alexander held her hand, encouraging her softly. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. She owes you this."

A vicious glint flashed in Elena’s eyes.

The next second, she raised the whip and brought it down on my back with all her strength.

Crack!

Agonizing pain exploded instantly. My clothes tore, and my flesh split open. I gritted my teeth and didn't make a sound.

"Oh no, my hand slipped... sorry, Ivy..." Elena apologized with her mouth, but her strikes got harder and harder.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Every lash carried the thrill of revenge.

Alexander stood to the side, watching my pale face and the blood seeping through my back. His hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched into tight fists.

A look of struggle and reluctance flashed in his eyes; he seemed to want to call a stop.

But seeing the gauze on Elena’s leg, he forced himself to hold back.

"It’s a lesson, Ivy. Don't touch my people again," he said coldly, as if trying to convince himself.

Cold sweat poured down my face from the pain, and my vision blurred, but I kept my back straight and stared dead at Alexander.

In that moment, all the love I had for this man was whipped into dust, lash by lash.

When Elena finally got tired, she stopped, panting.

Alexander immediately stepped forward to hold her, asking gently, "Do you feel better now?"

Elena nodded weakly and buried her face in his chest. "The Don is so good to me."

Lying on the ground, watching their embracing silhouettes, I suddenly let out a low laugh.

"Alexander, you’re going to regret this."

Alexander glanced at me lying in a pool of blood, a flicker of heartache in his eyes, and ordered someone to bring the medical kit.

He picked me up and gently placed me on the bed, trying to apply medicine to my wounds, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Have you had enough? Do you realize you were wrong?"

The sheer arrogance of his charitable concern made my stomach churn.

"Don't touch me."

I yanked my hand back and looked at him with dead eyes.

Alexander lost his patience and slammed the medical kit onto the table. "Ivy! How long are you going to be this willful? I already told you, Elena will never threaten your position. What more do you want? Do I have to rip my heart out for you to see?"

"Heart?" I asked, as if I’d heard a joke. "Do you even have one?"

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the Glock 17 tucked into his waistband.

In that instant, the hatred I had suppressed for so long erupted like a volcano.

Since he called me vicious, since he said I couldn't tolerate that woman, I decided to make the accusation stick!

I lunged without warning, moving as fast as a cheetah, and snatched the service pistol from his waist.

Alexander’s face changed drastically. "Ivy! Put the gun down!"

I ignored him completely. I flipped the gun around, gripping the barrel, and smashed the heavy pistol butt ruthlessly onto the head of Elena, who was still feigning weakness beside him!

"Ah—!"

Elena screamed as I tackled her to the ground.

I straddled her, acting like a maniac, and smashed the pistol butt into her forehead and cheeks again and again.

"Didn't you say I wanted to hurt you? Since you want me to be the villain so badly, I'll grant your wish!"

Blood instantly splattered onto my face. Elena didn't even have time to call for help; she could only whimper in pain.

"Stop it! You crazy bitch!"

Just as I had vented my anger and was aiming the gun at Elena to shoot, Alexander roared in terror. He rushed over and grabbed my wrist, his immense strength flipping me off Elena.

Bang!

My back slammed hard against the solid marble wall. It felt like my internal organs had shifted, and the taste of iron rose in my throat.

"Pfft—"

I couldn't hold it back and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staining the white carpet red.

But Alexander didn't even glance at me.

He panic-strickenly scooped up the unconscious, blood-covered Elena, his voice trembling. "Elena! Wake up! Prepare the car! Get the car to the hospital, now!"

He rushed out the door with that woman in his arms. As he passed me, he paused for a second, leaving behind a bone-chilling sentence:

"If she doesn't wake up, Ivy, I will bury you with her."