Chapter 8

The distinct click of a belt buckle unfastening echoed through the quiet room.

It snapped something inside Summer. Driven by pure panic, she grabbed his wrists, threw her head back, and slammed her forehead violently into his.

Thud.

Both groaned in pain as blood burst from the impact.

Dizzy and lightheaded, Summer shoved him with everything she had and scrambled forward across the floor.

She made it only a few steps before his greasy hands grabbed her ankle, sliding up her leg.

"Get off me! Get away!"

Her frantic kicking only fueled his rage.

He threw his entire weight onto her, seizing a fistful of her hair and slamming her head down into the floor.

Stars exploded across Summer’s vision. Her screams died in her throat. Her body went rigid, cold as ice, as if plunging into a frozen abyss.

Seeing her lie motionless beneath him, the man reached for his belt once more...

Summer kept her eyes open, but her vision grew increasingly blurry. As her consciousness drifted away, his hands finally touched her waist.

"Ian... Ian..."

"Get the hell off her."

A cold, razor-sharp voice pierced through the haze. A heavy kick landed, sending the man flying off her.

Summer forced her eyes open, looking up, but everything was a blur.

Darkness closed in. Before losing consciousness entirely, her fingers instinctively clutched at the bottom of the newcomer’s pant leg.

Ian looked down at Summer with sheer disgust. The man he had kicked was slumped against the foot of the bed, groaning and unable to get up.

"Ian! Why are you still bothering with her?" Moira rushed back into the room, grabbing Ian's arm. "Look at her! Playing these sick, abusive games with other men until she’s bleeding—seeing this only hurts you! Why put yourself through this?"

Ian didn't answer.

Moira yanked harder on his arm. "I know you love her, but she’s rotten to the core! She isn't worth it. Come with me, Ian. As your friend, I can't just stand by and watch you ruin yourself over a woman like her!"

Her words struck a nerve. Ian violently threw off her grip and bent down to scoop Summer up into his arms. "Nobody betrays Ian. She had the nerve to play with my feelings? I’ll make her pay a thousand times over."

"Ian..." Moira stumbled back, catching her balance before lunging forward to grab his hand again. "Listen to me—"

"Out of my way!"

Ian's eyes narrowed into a frigid glare as he shoved her aside a second time. Carrying Summer in a firm grip, he strode out of the room.

"Ian! Ian!"

The throw sent Moira crashing to the floor. Fuming with rage, she watched him walk away with Summer. It took her several seconds to recover before she scrambled to her feet to chase after them.

The moment she reached the doorway, a pair of thick arms wrapped tightly around her waist from behind. Hot, heavy breath fanned against her cheek.

‘Bang!’

The door slammed shut. Before Moira could even scream, the man—completely out of his mind from the drug—shoved her hard against the door, pinning her and smothering her cries for help...

---

When Summer woke up, she was lying on a hospital bed.

A gasp escaped her lips before she realized where she was. She was safe. She hadn't been touched, and she was no longer in that terrifying hotel suite.

She sat up, but before she could even catch her breath, a hand clamped tightly around her throat.

"Did you enjoy your little game?"

"Cough..." Summer grabbed Ian’s wrist, pulling desperately with all her strength to break his grip.

"Well?" Ian tightened his fingers, his dark eyes brimming with cold, unfiltered disgust.

Summer’s heart sank. Slowly, her hands dropped to her sides, letting him choke her.

Her passive submission only stoked the fire in his chest. Clamping his grip around her neck, he shook her violently back and forth. "Why aren't you answering? Too ashamed, or are you admitting it? Don't you love being hurt? Is getting choked by me turning you on? Huh?"

Summer struggled for air, her face turning bright red as suffocation set in.

Yet the physical pain was nothing compared to the blatant disgust and hatred in his eyes.

‘Click.’

The door opened.

A doctor walked in holding a stack of test results, only to freeze in his tracks, taking a quick step back at the scene before him.

Ian withdrew his hand, looking down coldly at Summer as she gasped greedily for air.

Suddenly, a memory from four years ago rushed back to him. Back then, she had looked just like a broken doll, eyes blindfolded. He had choked her just like this, leaving countless scars on her body. Could it be...

"You..."

The question rose to his lips, but he swallowed it back down just as quickly.

He turned a frosty glare toward the stunned doctor at the door. "What is it? Speak!"

"Mr.... Mr. Jensen…” The doctor swallowed hard, treading carefully. "Mrs. Jensen is pregnant. She's about a month along, which is a very delicate stage. Fortunately, these are only minor physical injuries, and there are no signs of a miscarriage. The baby..."