##Chapter 3
The hot spring resort had a massive glass window.
They made me sit at the dining table right in front of it, pretending to read a book.
Meanwhile, in the safest corner of the room, Jack was gently comforting the sobbing Tina.
“Don’t be scared, I’m here. I’ll protect you.”
She was curled up in his arms, her delicate hands clutching his expensive custom sweater.
“Jack, will they kill me? I’m scared. I’m afraid of the pain…”
“You’ll be fine. This place is safe. I promise nothing will happen to you.”
The sobbing slowly faded as Tina sniffled.
“Jack, what would I do without you?”
“Don’t say that. You’ll always have me. I’ll stay with you until we’re old.”
Their kisses were too loud; even when I focused on my book, I could hear everything.
It went on for half an hour, stopping only before the final step.
“Jack, Selly’s still here. She’s technically your wife. Maybe you should have someone protect her too?”
Jack shot me a cold glance. “If she hadn’t exposed our photos and location, you wouldn’t be this scared. She brought this on herself.”
I wanted to focus on the words in the book, but my vision was blurred.
There shouldn’t be any more heart-wrenching pain, so why were tears falling?
I didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to.
I didn’t know how long it had been before the pain and exhaustion wore me down, and I accidentally fell asleep.
When I woke up, the slap from Jack’s hand came before the reminder in my ear, “24 hours left.”
“Selly, why are you so cruel? Sneaking in while I was asleep!”
I stood up quickly but pulled at the wound on my lower belly, letting out a sharp hiss.
“Don’t pretend to be pitiful. Tell me, where’s Tina?”
That’s when I realized I’d somehow ended up in the bedroom.
But Tina disappeared.
“I don’t know. Last night, I was right by the window—”
“Cut the crap! Where did you send Tina?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Selly, you better be telling the truth, or I won’t go easy on you!”
Jack ground his teeth, then made endless calls. Finally, he found out where Tina was.
“Send a few people here. Take her away!”
My feet were tied up in the backseat as Jack drove, flooring the gas.
After three years of marriage, it was the first time I’d seen him lose control like this.
When we reached the beach, Tina was hanging from the boat by her wrists, crying heartbreakingly.
“Jack, why did you take so long? I’m so scared. Please save me!”
“Tina!”
Jack called her name desperately, then glared fiercely at the enemies on the boat.
“Let her go. I’ll trade you my wife, plus two gangs and ten shops.”
A smile appeared on the enemy’s scarred face. “Deal.”
While I was hung and slowly raised, Jack held Tina tightly, whispering soothing words.
When I reached the top, he hugged the woman he loved and turned away.
I saw that back again, but this time, Tina was by his side.
The enemy lit a cigarrette and glanced sideways. “Do it.”
The burning iron pressed against my skin, and I couldn’t hold back a scream of pain.
“Just kill me!”
He shook his head.
“If you die too easily, it wouldn’t be fair to my fallen brothers.
“Better to torture you slowly, so everyone in the underworld sees that Jack is nothing to be afraid of.”
I struggled and twisted, but the iron always pressed down exactly where it hurt the most, leaving me unable to speak.
I lost count of how many times they burned me. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, they let me down.
I barely caught my breath before a sharp pain hit my wrist.
They cut my wrist with a knife and threw my hand into the sea!
Blood spilled into the sea, turning the water bright red instantly.
I was pinned down, unable to move, but my head was forced to turn toward my wrist, making me watch my blood flow out.
Suddenly, I laughed.
“Jack, if I die here, will you find another shield for your little girl?
“Or will you just marry her yourself?
“Either way, it won’t matter to me anymore,” I thought.
My vision blurred, fading into darkness, and before I passed out, Jack’s men finally arrived. Too late, as always.
I heard voices negotiating, then they lifted me into an ambulance.
In the car, they were loudly laughing and playing cards, keeping me wide awake.
I vaguely heard someone say, “Jack really cares about Ms. Ashby. He wasn’t going to press the issue, but as soon as he saw her wrist was scratched, he got so angry he personally wiped out that entire gang.”
“Oh, have you heard? Jack’s decided to retire for Ms. Ashby.”
