Chapter 4

I scrambled up and ran to the door. "Let me out! You're going to kill me!"

Shaking, I pounded until it finally creaked open.

Hope surged—then I saw a stranger's face.

He stared at me, blank-faced. "Ms. Hart, Mr. Caldwell's orders. You're not leaving until you've had every shot."

A sharp sting pierced my arm.

I looked down. The first shot was already in my arm.

I begged. It changed nothing.

Then came the second. The third. The fourth...

My arm turned red, swollen, and sore. Then the redness and swelling spread across my body.

I rolled onto my side and threw up. My whole body jerked. I could barely breathe.

I'd lost count of the shots when the door opened again.

My eyes widened. With strength I didn't know I had, I jumped up, shoved past everyone, and ran.

I had no idea where to go. I just had to get out alive.

An hour later, a kind stranger took me to the police station. I was barefoot, my soles torn and bloody.

I looked up, eyes bloodshot and full of hate.

"I want to report a crime.

"Someone framed me. Then they tried to...

"Kill me!"

Someone had tampered with the kitchen footage, but the police recovered it.

It showed Leona's close friend slipping rusty blade pieces into the food.

Leona had set me up.

I sent Nolan the proof right away.

Half an hour later, Leona showed up at my place.

She didn't knock. Just punched in the code and walked in.

I stood, my face pale. "How do you know my door code?"

Nolan had replaced my old lock with a keypad, saying it was safer.

He'd punched in a code I didn't recognize. Said it would be harder to guess.

Leona smirked. "0612. June 12. The day we got married playing house as kids.

"He's used it for years. How hard could it be to guess?"

My face went white.

I stepped back. "What do you want?"

Leona raised an eyebrow, her smile cruel. "I should ask you that, Hailey.

"I let you play with my man for a few months. Now you think you can follow him overseas? Have some shame."

I shook my head. "You've got it wrong—"

She grabbed my hands, down to her knees and begged.

I stared, stunned.

Before I could move, Nolan strode over and pulled her close.

"Who the hell do you think you are, making Leona beg?"

So that was it. She'd come to put on a show.

"Nolan, don't blame Hailey.

"I accused her and put her through all that. I owe her an apology."

Leona pulled away from him and reached for my hands, looking hurt and helpless.

"Hailey, please drop the report. My friend was just messing around. She didn't mean any harm. She never thought it'd go this far.

"Now the cops say they'll hold her for food tampering... unless you drop it."

Nolan gently pulled Leona back into his arms.

He couldn't stand to see her suffer.

Then he looked at me. "Call the cops. Drop the report."

I was so mad I laughed. "Hell no."

His face darkened, his eyes cold.

After a long silence, he took a breath and smiled cruelly.

"Hailey, you've been trying to find your mom, right?

"Drop the report, or you'll never see her again."