Chapter 4

On the day of the banquet, three days later, Marco was waiting at the side door to meet me. "The body double is already secured at the safe house. Your fake ID and liquid funds are all set."

With only six hours left until my departure, I handed him my luggage. He looked at me and asked, "Have you really thought this through?"

"I have," I replied. "Starting today, Selena Black is dead."

Marco took the suitcase, his eyes turning red. "Don't worry. I'll be guarding the exit here."

By the time Charles walked over, Marco had already left.

Dressed in a silver-gray suit just like on our wedding day, Charles stepped up in front of me and personally pulled up my zipper.

"When tonight is over, you'll reclaim your rightful place as donna."

I looked at myself in the mirror. "How are you testing me tonight? Will you stay by my side?"

Charles fell silent for a moment, then placed an earpiece into my ear.

"You must learn to face danger alone. I can't tell you in advance, nor can I stay by your side. But I will monitor your situation the entire time and support you from behind."

He spoke with total solemnity, but I nearly burst out laughing right then and there.

He wanted me to learn how to survive on my own, but he had no idea that I was preparing to leave him forever.

Charles took my hand, his palm still warm. "We're only one step away. Once you complete this test, the entire family will respect you, just like me."

I pulled my hand back and said softly, "Okay."

As we walked into the banquet hall, people in the corridor were whispering in muted tones.

"Is she going to run out crying again this time?"

"The don has given her way too many chances!"

Charles heard them, but he merely turned to me and said, "Perform well."

When the doors to the banquet hall opened, my steps came to a halt. Blue roses covered the long tables.

Six months ago, when I was first locked in the wine cellar, the hitman who kidnapped me had placed a bouquet of blue roses right at the door.

"When these flowers die, so do you."

Susie actually knew about this, too.

Standing on the steps, she smiled and said, "Tonight, I will help you completely break free from your past, Selena."

My fingers gripped my dress tightly. Inside the security room, Charles watched me through the screen.

Suddenly, the lights went out. A hand reached out from the darkness, pressing a sharp blade against my neck.

Using the moonlight, I turned my head and looked clearly into the man's eyes. My pupils violently contracted. This man was the exact hitman who had kidnapped me six months ago!

They were actually unhinged enough to pull him out of prison for this!

Inside the security room, Susie frowned. "She's losing her composure again."

"Keep going," Charles said, clenching his fists. "Hold on for a few more minutes. I believe she can make it through."

The hitman leaned down and whispered in my ear, "What's wrong, sweetheart? Missed me? I won't let you get away this time!"

As he spoke, he dragged me toward the exit. Struggling violently, a tiny sliver of hope still lingered in my heart for Charles. "Charles! He's the man who kidnapped me back then! Save me!"

I cried out to Charles through the earpiece, but there was nothing on the line except static.

I didn't know that inside the security room, Charles had panicked the moment he recognized the man.

"Susie, didn't I tell you to find a double? Why did you release the real one?!"

Yet Susie showed no remorse as she argued, "Only by making Selena face the person she fears most can we test her true reaction!"

Hearing this, Charles turned his eyes back to the monitor. By then, I had already been dragged down to the underground garage. In the next second, I jerked my head violently, and the blade in his hand slashed straight across the side of my neck.

The blood pack ruptured, splashing blood across the wall, and the security footage shook violently.

Charles' face instantly drained of color.

"Selena!"

He rushed out of the security room like a madman.

In the dark, Marco tackled the hitman and pulled open the hidden door behind the wall. Stripping off my blood-stained gown, I changed into the clothes prepared in advance.

Behind me, Charles’ voice tore through the air in an absolute frenzy. "Lock down the estate! Seal every perimeter exit!"

Before stepping into the escape tunnel, I looked back one last time. Seeing the blood all over the ground, Charles grabbed his earpiece and frantically screamed my name. But I would never answer him again.

A few minutes later, he found the body in the corner of the wall. That face, identical to mine, lay peacefully in a pool of blood with her eyes closed.

Charles froze on the spot. With trembling hands, he pulled the corpse into his arms.

"Selena..."