All Chapters of Burning It All Down: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Footsteps neared the door. I spun around and bolted down the stairs. Once I got into the kitchen, I yanked open the freezer and grabbed the largest tub of ice cream I could find. Sinking onto the barstool, I dug in. Scoop after scoop, the icy sweetness coated my tongue, numbing my senses, freezing my thoughts. My stomach twisted in protest, but I kept eating, shoveling it in like I could bury everything I'd just overheard. Ice cream used to be my favorite food. But for months, I'd denied myself, following every strict regimen to prepare my body for pregnancy. Convinced that my body was failing me, I endured a barrage of medications and daily injections, all in the desperate hope of conceiving. Little did I know, Derek had been secretly dosing me with hormonal pills, disguised as vitamins. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer. My tears spilled over, an unstoppable flood, and the salty mix with the ice cream triggered a wave of nausea. Putting my hands over my mouth, I re

I once dreamed of having a baby.For two years, I carried that dream like a fragile flame, only to watch it snuffed out again and again—five miscarriages and each one left me more broken than the last. The doctor told me my chances of conceiving again were slim. In order to have a child with Derek, I opted for IVF, which put me through all kinds of suffering. In the end, just because Lilyanne said that she was afraid of pain and feared becoming ugly, I lost the right to become a mother. Instead, I was reduced to be nothing more than a surrogate mother for them. My face was as white as a sheet.Derek must have noticed my pale complexion. Perhaps worried that something would happen to the baby if I were physically unwell, he left to call the family physician after bringing me back to the bedroom. Derek's phone was just by his pillow. I never knew his password since I had never once tried to check it before. But tonight, something inside me shifted. I picked up the phone and

Lilyanne's grin widened at the sight of Jimmy trampling me under his boot. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo. She studied the image with a satisfied hum. "Nicole, you look so much better like this. You look best when you're stomped on. "This photo looks great. In fact, it's as good as your nudes from the bar—you know, the ones scattered across your wedding day."Be honest with me. Even though I drugged you that time, you enjoyed it, didn't you? You should be thanking me. Someone with your looks would never have had the chance to entertain over ten men in one night."After saying that, Lilyanne leaned into Jimmy's arms, his hands squeezing her bottoms. They both admired the photo as if it were a piece of fine art. The flash of the camera, a stark reminder of that horrific night at the bar, sent a tremor of fear through me. Yet, the fury that surged within me, a resilient force, gave me the strength to fight back despite the agony.As Jimmy and Lilyanne engaged in the

Meanwhile, Derek carefully laid Lilyanne on the plush bed in one of his private villas while waiting for the private physician to arrive. Although she insisted she was merely shaken, Derek remained deeply concerned.His phone buzzed. Before he could reach for it, Lilyanne swiftly snatched it away. She pouted playfully. "Derry, I feel a little thirsty. Could you make me a cup of chamomile tea please?" Derek stared at his phone, a little distracted. "It might be a message from Nicole. Let me have a look." With a wistful sigh, Lilyanne handed the phone back, her collar slipping just enough to reveal the ugly bullet scar on her chest."Just as I thought, Nicole is the only person you care about. It's alright, Derry. I just want you to be happy. I don't mind even if Nicole stones me or calls our baby a bastard child." With me gone, Derek had only felt mildly uneasy these past two days. But at the sight of Lilyanne's scar, his heart softened. "Forget it. I'll make your tea for yo

"Who told you to lock her in the basement?" Derek sprang to his feet, delivering a brutal kick to Jimmy's head. The force was lethal—Jimmy died on the spot.Without hesitation, he ordered his men to prepare the cars for his immediate return to the estate. Just as he turned, he heard Lilyanne's feigned groans behind him.Without a glance back, he commanded, "Chop Jimmy up and feed him to the dogs. As for Lilyanne, strip her and send her to the red-light district. Once she has serviced 99 men, send the photographs to her husband. He'll know what to do."It was midnight by the time Derek got back to the estate. The fire in the basement had been put out, but the mercenaries reported that my body was nowhere to be found. Letting out a small sigh of relief, Derek dialed my number over and over. Yet, he did not get an answer. Just as he was about to make his 100th call attempt, his phone vibrated. He received a video recording of me being pushed into a fire pit. "Saving us some troub