Naomi’s face went cold with disappointment. Her voice trembled with rage as she snapped, “Jeremiah, that’s enough! All those years of raising you, what were they even for?”
“Mom, go ahead, take her side. Who's your real child, huh? Lainey is just some filthy slut who's been with God knows how many men. A whore with a kid. Why the hell are you defending her?”
“Whatever. I’ve said enough. Just stop helping her. She needs to be knocked down a peg. Maybe then she’ll remember who her savior really is.”
Jeremiah hung up without a trace of hesitation.
But just before the call ended, both Naomi and I clearly heard Margaret’s coquettish voice purring through the line.
“Brother Jeremiah, let’s do something exciting tonight, okay? Tonight, I belong only to you.”
The room fell into suffocating silence.
After a long, heavy pause, Naomi let out a weary sigh and finally said, “Lainey, if you want to leave… then go. I won’t stop you anymore.”
She looked at me with guilt in her eyes.
“It’s me who owes you. From the beginning, you and Jeremiah were a mistake. I should never have used your sacrifice to push you toward him.”
I didn’t say another word.
I quietly gathered my things, stepped out of the villa, and booked a hotel for the night.
As soon as I arrived at the hotel and finished checking in, I was ambushed. Jeremiah and a group of bodyguards stormed in, tied me up, and dragged me back.
Once again, I found myself inside that all-too-familiar villa, with bitterness swirling in my chest and confusion weighing down my heart.
Jeremiah stood before me, barely able to contain his rage.
“Lainey, what the fuck is wrong with you? You’ve got a house, but you’d rather check into a hotel? Are you trying to run away from turning yourself in?”
I stared at him, calm and unshaken.
“Jeremiah, what exactly do you want from me?”
“I wasn’t the one who hurt that person. Once was already enough. What right do you—”
Slap.
The sting exploded across my face. My skin burned, and the taste of blood crept onto my tongue.
Jeremiah’s glare was laced with fury and scorn.
“I told you, it was you who did it. You need to pay for your sins.”
“Anyway, you’re just some cheap slut who’s already been used by thousands. You’re useless on your own. Might as well put you to use. When you’re out of prison, maybe I’ll toss you a job as a nanny. Just enough to keep you breathing.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “As if I’d ever want that.”