The next second, scorching liquid splashed across her face.
A searing pain shot through her, and she thrashed against the bodyguards’ grip, but she couldn’t break free.
Jared nodded in satisfaction. "Karin, I won’t let anyone hurt you."
Then, more cups followed—burning coffee drenching her hair, her collarbone, her stomach, her thighs…
Agonizing screams filled the office.
Karin clung to Jared’s arm, laughing wildly.
Jared’s voice was sharp. "Carrie, apologize to Karin. Now!"
She spat on the ground. "I’m right. As long as I’m here, she’ll always be the mistress!"
Without a word, Jared struck her across the face.
"You have no shame."
Then, he handed the last cup to Karin. "Finish it."
Karin hesitated. "Jared, I don’t want to treat Carrie like this. She’ll hate me forever."
He gently ruffled her hair. "You’re too kind, which is why people take advantage of you. With me here, she won’t dare hate you."
With that, Jared guided Karin’s hand, and together, they poured the remaining coffee over Carrie, who was already soaked through.
Her exposed skin turned red and swollen, angry blisters forming before their eyes. The sight was horrifying.
One could only imagine the pain.
No matter how furious Jared had been with her in the past, he had never gone this far.
He had always been gentle to her—once, when she cut her finger on a sharp page, he rushed her to the hospital, refusing to let her touch water until it healed.
Now, to protect Karin, he acted as if he wanted to rip her apart, tendon by tendon, bone by bone.
With one final push, he sent her crashing to the ground.
"Don’t do it again," he warned coldly. "Today was just a small lesson."
After being mercilessly thrown out of the office, Carrie returned home.
She wasn’t sure how much longer she could endure this before she collapsed completely. If things continued like this, would she even live to see Art wake up?
But she had no choice—she had to do what Jared’s mother wanted.
She found the burn ointment and applied it to her skin, the searing pain spreading through her body like wildfire.
Ever since Karin came back, she had seen a side of Jared she had never fully known—cold, distant, and ruthless.
She had once gone to great, foolish lengths to make him acknowledge her, to make him look at her in the eye.