Yet somehow, he found out. He stormed out of an important meeting and sped home, barely stopping at red lights.
He grabbed my hand, stared at the burn and held it like it was made of glass.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I should’ve protected you,” he said, voice tight with guilt. “I swear, as long as I’m breathing, I’ll never let anything hurt you again.”
Then he pulled me into his arms. Warm, strong, trembling just a little. That hug—and that promise—etched themselves into my memory like a brand.
But that boy was long gone.
He grew up into a cold, distant man who looks at me like I’m nothing. Like I’m disposable.
Now, he’s the one hurting me the most.
I stumbled toward the building’s exit. Everything went black.
But before I hit the ground—I fell into someone’s arms.
A stranger’s arms, firm and unfamiliar.
Before the darkness swallowed me whole, I heard one quiet breath against my ear.
“Do you want revenge?” A whisper, like a devil making an offer.
“As an exchange for those shares… I’ll help you find the evidence on your mother’s death.”
###Chapter 5
Tears slipped down my face as I clung, half-conscious, to the man’s shirt.
“Re… venge…” I whispered, the word barely formed.
When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was white—too bright, too sterile.
A hospital room.
I turned my head slowly, wincing at the dull ache across my body and reached for my phone. A message from Colin was waiting. He had sent it the night before.
[I’ve got things to handle tomorrow. Go try on the wedding dress by yourself. Our wedding’s getting closer, so pull yourself together. Stop with the tantrums and marry into the Marks Family with some dignity.]
I stared at the message for a moment, expressionless, then dragged my finger across the screen and deleted it.
But just beneath it, something else caught my eye—a post from Piper’s social media.
Colin had taken her on a private jet to chase the northern lights.
In the green haze of the aurora, their silhouettes stood close together. Matching rings glinted on their fingers, tightly intertwined.
The caption pierced like glass:
[He told me I’m the only one for him. He promised to protect me from all the cruelty in this world. How could I ever let go of a man like that?]
Below it, a cutesy account with cartoon couple avatars commented:
[And no matter how far you try to run from me, I’ll find you. I’ll tie you to my side forever. So don’t even try, silly girl.]