Chapter 3

My fingertips were less than an inch away from the life-saving pill.

I gritted my teeth. I stretched my shaking arm with all my might. That was my life!

The exact second I touched the pill, Vivian rushed over with her designer coat.

"Aria, the floor is freezing! Let me wrap you up!" she cried with concern.

As she stepped in front of me, her pointed, diamond-studded heel landed directly on my medicine—and my trembling hand. My last hope was crushed into dust.

I convulsed violently from the pain. A bitter, agonizing whimper escaped my throat. The back of my hand was instantly torn to bloody shreds.

Vivian gasped, stepping back with a hand over her mouth. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, I didn't see your hand there! I was just trying to keep you warm!"

She leaned down, her eyes locking onto my neck.

There hung a silver necklace. The pendant had Silas's name carved into it.

A custom piece for the future Mrs. Thorne. A token Silas had put on me himself.

"Your breathing is so labored... This heavy necklace is restricting your airway!" Vivian said frantically. Twisted jealousy flashed in her eyes for a split second, unseen by the crowd.

She grabbed the silver chain, her hands 'shaking' as she fumbled with the clasp.

"Ugh!"

"It's stuck!" she panicked. She gave it a forceful, brutal tug.

The silver chain snapped under the immense tension, the sharp metal slicing a deep gash across my collarbone. Warm blood poured wildly down my skin.

The pain turned my vision black. My mind went blank. I was on the edge of shock.

This bloody scene sparked no pity. Instead, it drew cruel laughter from the crowd.

"Look, she's cutting herself on purpose now just to make Vivian look bad!"

The harsh laughter startled Silas.

He whipped his head around. His deep pupils caught sight of the bloody gash on my neck. His sanity shattered instantly. His eyes shrank in horror.

"Move!"

He roughly shoved the guests aside and charged back.

His tall frame carried obvious panic. Even his breathing skipped a beat.

"What is this! Your neck..." He dropped to one knee. Instinctively, he reached out to cover my bleeding wound. His eyes turned red from extreme heartache.

But before his shaking hand could touch me, Vivian lunged forward. She held up the bloody necklace and grabbed his arm tight.

"Silas, look at what she's doing!" Vivian yelled, acting utterly devastated and holding back tears. "She refused to let me take the necklace off and pulled it so hard it broke! She purposefully scratched her own neck to guilt-trip you! I tried to help her, but she's out of control!"

Silas's outstretched hand stopped dead in mid-air.

"She even used the necklace you gave her for this dirty little stunt! She's taking advantage of your love for her!" Vivian pointed at my nose, flipping the truth completely.

I looked at Silas in absolute despair. Tears and blood blurred my vision.

I hid my sickness and my past from him. I thought it was protection.

But because of my secrets, he easily bought Vivian's lies.

Silas looked at the broken necklace. It was his promise to trust me with his life. He felt his absolute bottom line had been crossed.

The fresh concern in his eyes went ice-cold.

He slowly stood up. He glared down at me.

"Since you love acting so much, keep acting. Let's see how far you'll go."

He turned his head coldly, sweeping his gaze over the room. "Tonight, nobody helps her. Let her reflect on her behavior. Anyone who intervenes will have to answer to me and Thorne Group!"

This death sentence completely cut off all my escape routes.

With Silas's silent approval, Vivian had zero fear.

"Silas is right, but as a doctor, I can't just let her bleed. It might get infected," Vivian said responsibly.

She grabbed a glass of high-proof clear vodka from the bartender's tray.

"I don't have my medical kit, this emergency disinfection will have to do!"

She poured the stinging, concentrated alcohol directly onto my torn, raw flesh!

"Ah—!"

The bone-piercing pain made my heart stop.

I coughed up a huge mouthful of blood. It stained the expensive carpet red.

I stared dead at them. With a thread-like but icy voice, I spat out my final warning.

"My father... will never... let you go..."

After a short silence, Vivian burst into wild, piercing laughter.

"Your father?" Vivian laughed until she cried. "That gambling junkie in the slums?"

She wiped a tear. "Let him come! Let's see if he dares to breathe loud in front of Silas! My family runs the top hospitals here and works closely with Thorne Group. Do you really think anyone will side with you?"

The executives around us roared with laughter too.

"A junkie's daughter thinking she can threaten the CEO? What a joke!"

Amidst a room full of mockery, Silas turned his back.

His tall figure held no regret. He walked resolutely into the depths of the banquet hall.

My body grew cold. My muscles stiffened bit by bit.

All my senses slipped away. My vision went completely dark.

In the hopeless dark, I used my very last ounce of strength and called out toward the closed doors. "Dad..."

Slap!

Vivian gently patted my face, but the pats quickly turned into sharp, painful slaps.

"Aria? Aria, stay awake! Don't fall asleep!" she called out loudly for everyone to hear, masking her violence as medical protocol to keep me conscious.

Leaning in, she whispered venomously into my ear, "Face reality! Even if you die right here, nobody is coming to save you!"

My body gave its final warning. I shivered endlessly, collapsing in a puddle of my own cold sweat.

I closed my eyes. Waiting for death.

Suddenly, the deafening roar of military choppers shook the building.

The double doors blasted open. A furious voice echoed through the hall.

"WHO TOUCHED MY DAUGHTER?!"