Chapter 3

It was the following day when the ridiculous events at the wedding spread throughout the social circle. Jack Mead, Rachel's grandfather, called to assure me that the marriage would still happen, promising he would make sure Rachel and I still went through with the wedding and vowing to discipline her severely.

I simply replied calmly, "It won't be necessary since I'm going to back out of the marriage, Mr. Mead Senior."

Mr. Mead Senior sighed heavily before hanging up.

I began drawing up the divorce agreement, and before I could even print the document, the front door was slammed open.

Rachel stormed in aggressively with a group of bodyguards, pointing right at my face and yelling, "I never realized you were so malicious, Charlie!

"I was just being kind and helping someone out, and you actually ran to Grandpa to complain! His men almost tore Quentin apart! You can go ahead and experience it yourself since you think getting bitten by leeches is no big deal!"

She waved her hand, and a few bodyguards grabbed me and tied me up. They carried me outside and threw me into a car, which went on a rough drive out to an isolated area. They then dragged me out and dumped me into a dark, damp pit.

I hit the ground hard, and only then could I see clearly that the bottom of the pit was a squirming mass, completely covered in leeches.

Quentin stood at the edge of the pit, putting on a pained, helpless expression as he said softly, "I hope you won't hold it against Rach, Charlie. I'm sure she only lost her temper because I almost got hurt. I'm certain that she'll let you out once she cools off, so you should just hang in there for a little while."

Rachel had already lost her patience. She commanded coldly, "Throw him in!"

In the next second, everything around me spun as I was thrown heavily to the bottom of the pit. I could feel a damp, cold, and slimy sensation covering my entire body as countless leeches immediately wriggled and attached themselves to me.

I merely thought that the piercing pain and numbness made me lose all track of time. It wasn't until I felt my consciousness gradually slipping away and even breathing became difficult that Rachel's indifferent voice finally came from above. "Get him out of there—don't actually end up killing him."

Rachel's bodyguards hauled me up like a sack of garbage, dragged me all the way back to the house, and dumped me onto the cold, hard floor.

Rachel stood over me, looking down with a casual, indifferent expression. "I hope you remember this lesson well, Charlie. Quentin is going to stay here while he recovers from his injuries, so make sure you take good care of him."

She then hooked her arm through Quentin's and walked straight into the bathroom, where the sound of running water soon drifted out faintly, mingling with suggestive panting and low giggles.

I, on the other hand, was left lying there on the floor. I was covered in injuries and couldn't even move a muscle.

I had no idea how much time had passed, but Quentin suddenly walked out while wrapped in a bathrobe, with several noticeable hickeys on his neck. He squatted in front of me with an undisguised look of triumph on his face.

"Rachel was giving me her virginity while you were waiting like an idiot at the wedding yesterday. She actually bled a lot, but she forced herself to bear the pain just to satisfy me. You've been with her for years and never even slept with her. Is there something wrong with you down there, Charlie?"

I was incensed. I clenched my fist and tried to punch him, but Quentin intentionally threw himself backward, hitting the floor with a loud thud. "I was only trying to help you to your feet, Charlie, so why are you suddenly hitting me?"

Rachel suddenly stormed out and struck me hard across the face. She then barked before the stinging pain could fade, "Hold him down!"

In that instant, two bodyguards grabbed my arms, pulling them behind my back, and slammed my head down toward the ground.

"You'd better apologize to Quentin this instant—grovel before him and beg for his forgiveness!" Rachel snarled.

I was forced to bang my forehead against the floor repeatedly with a succession of dull thuds, causing my vision to go dark. I was completely consumed by humiliation and pain, but that wasn't the end of it.

I was forced to endure a prolonged beating as they kicked and punched me mercilessly until I began losing consciousness and lacked the strength to even groan.

I was eventually dragged to my feet and stuffed into the car. I was thrown into an abandoned warehouse in the suburbs following a long, bumpy ride. I felt several cold, hard objects being tied to my body as I drifted in and out of consciousness.

I then heard the rhythmic ticking that instantly jolted me back to consciousness—it was actually a bomb.

I got patted on the cheek by the leading bodyguard, who crouched before me with a ruthless expression, saying, "You shouldn't mess with people you can't afford to offend in your next life, buddy."

I fought back with everything I had, but I couldn't break free. I glared at them with bloodshot eyes and barked, "How dare you! Rachel will make you pay for this!"

Those bodyguards immediately burst out laughing.

"You think Ms. Mead actually cares about you, huh? Mr. Sorenson is the only person she cares about right now! She'd only worry that Mr. Sorenson had to get his hands dirty, even if she found out that Mr. Sorenson wanted you dead. Have a safe trip to the afterlife!"

They laughed uproariously as they locked the warehouse doors from the outside.

I was left in the dark, with only the cold, rapid ticking of the countdown. I closed my eyes as the final glimmer of hope within me extinguished. "Goodbye forever, Rachel…"