Chapter 3
As I passed Sienna, her expression suddenly turned cold, and she stuck out her leg and tripped me.
I tumbled down the stairs before I could dodge.
There was a sickening crack, followed by searing pain.
Silas’s panicked screams were the last thing I heard before I blacked out.
When I woke up, I saw Silas’s worn-out face.
Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and stubble covered his jaw.
He looked relieved but pained when he saw I was awake.
“You’re awake? The doctor said they couldn’t save your uterus. It’s already been removed.”
Silas hesitated. “Your chart says you were rushed to the hospital yesterday? So you didn’t run away, you were—wait, what are you doing?”
He grabbed my hand as I reached for my phone.
“I’m calling the police,” I said coldly. “Sienna pushed me down the stairs and nearly killed me. She should face the consequences.”
“I already punished her,” Silas said tightly. “Can’t you just let it go?”
“Punished? How?”
He paused, then mumbled, “I… didn’t let her have any cake today.”
I felt a chill deep in my bones, yet I smiled. “Is that so?”
He frowned at my reaction, clearly annoyed. “Do you have to be so sarcastic? Your uterus is gone, you can’t have kids anymore. Why can’t you just look forward to Sienna giving me a child? What more do you want—keep bullying her?”
When I didn’t respond, he softened his tone awkwardly. “This time it’s my fault. You always wanted a child, right? I couldn’t give you one before. Once you’re better, I’ll ask Sienna to let you be the baby’s godmother, so you can still have your motherhood dream.”
I stayed silent. He suddenly exploded. “What’s with the silent treatment? What more do you want from me?
“Don’t think I don’t know—you only married me because Carlos was after you. He slept with you and got you pregnant. You were scared it’d come out and ruin your mom’s chance at marrying into a wealthy family, so you picked me, the pathetic fool, to clean up the mess!
“You cheated on me, and all I did was make sure you could never have my child as punishment. But you went behind my back, kept sending Carlos flirty messages, and even sold my company’s secrets to him! If Sienna hadn’t told me, you would’ve kept playing me for a fool!”
“I didn’t!”
“You—” Silas’s eyes suddenly froze. He shoved me aside and pulled a plane ticket from between the bedsheets.
My heart sank. His eyes turned bloodshot as he grabbed my hair and slapped me.
“Still denying it? A boarding pass for ONLYTHALIA—Carlos’s private jet, named after you! He gave you this ticket so you could run off with him, didn’t he? And you’re still going to say there was nothing going on between you two?
“You bitch, you made me a pawn in your cheating with Carlos, so I’ll make you the unwanted mistress. I won’t let you leave me and find happiness with him. Even if you die, you’re mine.”
He kicked me in the chest. I fell off the bed, knocking over the IV stand.
Glass shattered around me, and blood started pooling under me.
I lifted my head, trembling and broken.
“Silas, are you really that insecure? So insecure you think you don’t deserve love?”
His eyes were red, filled with rage and something almost like guilt.
“You—”
Before he could finish, a servant burst through the door.
“Ms. Scott, Sienna got emotional and bleeding. Please come quickly!”
Silas immediately panicked and grabbed me, dragging me out. “If it weren’t for you, Sienna wouldn’t be so guilty that she started bleeding. You’re coming with me to calm her down.”
He pulled me all the way to the VIP room, where Sienna, eyes red, threw herself into his arms.
“Silas, I swear I didn’t mean to hurt her. I’m pregnant, I’m clumsy. She was the one who rushed at me. I was just trying to move out of the way…”
My chest tightened as I met Sienna’s gaze, only to see pure triumph in her eyes.
Still playing the victim, she spoke gently, “If she still wants to blame me, then I’ll apologize on my knees.”
“Sienna!” Silas said, pulling her into his arms. “It’s not your fault.”
He clenched his jaw, then yanked me forward and forced me to my knees in front of her.
“It’s this bitch’s fault,” he growled, grabbing Sienna’s hand and slapping me across the face with it.
She was wearing the wedding ring that used to be mine. Its sharp edge sliced across my face, leaving bleeding cuts.
“She’s the one who hurt you. Hit her back.”
“Isn’t this bad?” Sienna hesitated, drawing her hand back.
“Come on, you’re too soft. How are you supposed to give me a strong baby like that? Let’s toughen you up. I’ll get you a Maserati for every slap. If she bleeds, I’ll give you a villa.”
“Really?” Sienna’s eyes lit up, and she slapped me hard without another word.
I dodged, and Sienna almost twisted her back in the process.
Silas’s gaze darkened. He stepped forward and kicked my leg, breaking it. I screamed in pain.
“Now she can’t escape. Just keep hitting her.”
As Sienna’s greedy counting of money filled my ears, a buzzing noise drowned out everything, and my vision blurred into black and white.
When I collapsed to the ground, Silas rushed to embrace Sienna, gently blowing on the hand that had struck me.
“Baby, does your hand hurt? Let me blow on it for you.
“You’re such a brave girl. I’ll take you to Eclipse, tell me what you want, I’ll buy you everything.”
Sienna giggled, glancing at me. “What about Thalia?”
“She doesn’t deserve it.” Silas’s eyes lingered on me, then a sudden thought seemed to cross his mind.
He strode over to me and said coldly, “You wanted to leave me, right? I’m giving you a chance.”
“What are you going to do?” I shivered, drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
“You were the most beautiful woman in Los Angeles back then, you must be worth a lot, right?” He chuckled. “If I put you up for auction at Eclipse, I bet you’d fetch a pretty penny.”
“You’re crazy!”
He ignored my protests, immediately having someone bring a contract for me to sign, declaring my voluntary auction.
I struggled against the restraints, refusing to sign no matter what.
He sneered. “Still not signing, huh?”
With a sharp wave of his hand, a figure stumbled into the room and dropped to their knees in front of me.
My eyes widened in shock.
It was Mike Louis, the friend who had given me a coat that day at the winery.
He was Silas’s closest follower since childhood, the one who even brought his parents to witness our wedding.
But now, the once dashing, carefree rich heir was on his knees, covered in blood and rags, begging with his dignity shattered.
“You’re insane!” I screamed at Silas. “He’s your childhood friend! How could you do this to him?!”
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sorry for him?” Silas sneered, like a demon from hell. “The most beautiful woman in Los Angeles sure has a lot of charm, huh? Not only did you seduce your stepbrother, but now you’ve seduced my best friend too? He stood up for my wife. I was upset and had to teach him a lesson.”
Mike’s face covered in tears and snot, begging. “Thalia, please, whatever Silas says, just agree to it. My family is bankrupt. My parents are tied up at the construction site. If you don’t agree, Silas will have them buried alive in cement.
“I can’t live without my parents, please, Thalia!”
The sound of his desperate pleas struck my heart like a hammer. Trembling, I picked up the pen and reluctantly signed the word “voluntary” next to my name.
Silas, satisfied, patted my head. “When you’re on stage, make sure to put on a good show. Maybe some blind rich guy will buy you, and I’ll get to be the husband you’re cheated on again.”
I trembled, barely able to get the words out. “Silas, you’ll get your retribution.”
He scoffed. “Only those who betray true love face retribution. Let’s see who gets it in the end.”
A masked figure approached and injected something into my waist.
Everything went black.
When I woke up, I found myself naked, locked inside the glass display case of Silas’s VIP auction room.
On the couch, Silas and Sienna were tangled together.
When Sienna noticed I was awake, she tossed a small piece of fabric with a fishy smell, right into my face.
I numbly pulled it off.
“Silas,” came the teasing voices of his friends from outside the door. “I hear a lot of people are saying you’re planning to auction off your wife. Sounds exciting.
“Some old rich guys are eyeing her, ready to raise their paddle and bid on her.”
Silas let out a lazy sigh, reclining in his chair.
“Tell them not to rush. I’ll occasionally auction her for the old guys to have their fun.”
“A woman without a uterus. They’ll be able to have all the fun they want without worry. Perfect, they’ll go crazy with excitement.”
Silas kicked the display case, then spoke coldly, “Here’s your last chance. Call that bastard brother of yours, tell him you’re my dog for life. I might even consider bidding for you while I’m at it.”
I shut my eyes, saying nothing.
He cursed under his breath and pushed away Sienna, who was still clinging to him.
“You bitch, let’s see how long you can keep up that stubbornness.”
The auction began, with each item that Sienna had her eyes on being swiftly seized by Silas.
Sienna sat amidst piles of luxury goods, smiling in astonishment.
But Silas’s face grew increasingly cold, his gaze lingering on me more and more.
Finally, the announcer declared the last item for auction.
“The auction item provided by Mr. Scott from Los Angeles, titled ‘Beloved’.”
“I bid 500,000.”
“One million!”
“Five million!”
As the price soared higher, Silas’s expression darkened.
“Thalia, I’m giving you one last chance…”
A voice interrupted the bidding, “Sold! The item is going to VIP No. 31!”
Silas’s face turned pale as he sharply turned his head to look at the auction stage.
