Chapter 1
On my birthday, my stepsister smashed Mom’s portrait right in front of everyone, her stiletto grinding across my mother’s face.
My hands shaking like leaves, I slapped her for the first time in my life.[]
But that very night, I was kidnapped and taken to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town, where I was tortured for 24 straight hours.
They shattered my hands and feet with crowbars. When the gasoline hit my skin, I screamed until my voice gave out.[]
“Young Master Harrington’s orders,” one of them said. “This girl crossed Miss Celeste. Time to teach her a lesson she won’t forget.“]
Holy shit! She was actually the golden boy’s precious little princess![]
death crept closer, my fingers found the emergency beacon hidden in my hair.]
My most trusted doctor, Dr. Kai, had personally placed it there. He’d promised me, “No matter where you are, I’ll come for you.“]
But just as I was about to press that button, a familiar voice crackled through the kidnapper’s radio:[]
“Is she unconscious? Keep her breathing, but don’t actually kill her.“[]
That voice… It was Kai.]]
It turned out–he was that Harrington heir, the one everyone in New York high society whispered about.
Every drop of blood in my body turned to ice…]
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The sounds from next door gradually died down.[]
I shut my eyes, totally drained, and gave up on calling for help. Just let the darkness swallow me whole.[]
Kai had been my personal doctor for two years. But turns out, all his tenderness, all his concern, every single time he got close to me–it was all just so he could stand next to Celeste without raising any eyebrows.
No wonder every time Celeste and I got into it, I’d have some “accident.“]
Falling down when nobody was around, dresses mysteriously ripping, food poisoning, random allergic reactions… Every damn time, he’d be right there, coolly documenting my agony and calling it “desensitization therapy.”
From day one, he was never protecting me. He was protecting Celeste.
Lying there on the ground, drowning in pain, everything suddenly clicked.[]
Thinking about how all those careful, unspoken feelings I’d been too afraid to voice had turned into the world’s biggest joke.[]
Blood–soaked laughter bubbled up from my throat.
Next second, I passed out as consciousness slipped away…]
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Capell Caked My Death Now My Tormentor’s Beesinal
When I came to again, that sharp antiseptic smell was choking the hospital room.
Kai sat beside my bed, brow all furrowed: “Why didn’t you call me for help?“]
I turned my face away, those half–conscious conversations still churning in my head.[]
The bastard orchestrated the whole thing, and he’s still putting on this caring act?]]
“Want some water?” His voice was all gentle. “Doctor says you need to take it easy.“]]
Before he could finish, the door got kicked open.[]
Dad stormed over and smacked me hard across the face. “You ungrateful little bitch! It’s all because of you! You made Celeste miss her music competition!“]
I pressed my hand to my stinging cheek, tasting blood.[]
“Kidnapped?” Dad let out a cold laugh. “All this drama, and you just show up at home? I bet you staged the whole damn thing!
I licked the blood from my lip, my eyes involuntarily drifting to Kai. His water–pouring froze for just a second before he went back to acting like nothing happened.[]
Celeste’s eyes were all teary. “Sis, even if you’re mad, you can’t hurt yourself like this. Seeing you this way just breaks my heart…“)
My stepmother Linda stood there dabbing at her eyes. “Vivian, when Celeste heard you were kidnapped, she was so worried she skipped her competition. Thank God you’re okay!“]]
“Where’d you learn these trashy tricks?!” Dad was livid. “First you hit someone, then you pull this stunt–you’re a disgrace to the
Ashworth name!”
I opened my mouth to explain, but the words suddenly turned into laughter.[]
How fucking ridiculous. No matter what I said, Dad would never believe me. From the moment Celeste stepped into our house, he and my brother’s hearts belonged to this outsider.
My brother Ryan stood off to the side, looking at me with pure disgust. “Vivian, you’re seriously out of line! You hit Celeste, scared her half to death, and now you owe her an apology!”
I couldn’t believe those words came from my own flesh and blood brother.]
“She smashed Mom’s portrait first.” My voice was hoarse but rock–solid. “I’m not apologizing for shit.”
SLAP! SLAP!]]
Two more slaps landed on my face, and Dad’s hand froze mid–air, still trembling with rage. “Won’t apologize? I’ll beat you till you
do!”
Kai stepped forward to stop him, then turned to me with that soft voice. “Just say you’re sorry. You’re all family–once your dad cools down, you can explain everything.”
Family? What a joke. Clearly, they were the family. I was just the extra.[
Kai’s hand landed on my shoulder, seeming gentle but forcing me down from the bed with zero room for argument.
“What?” I laughed bitterly. “You gonna make me?”
Chapter 1
“Get on your knees and apologize!” Dad bellowed.[]
Next thing I knew, someone shoved me down hard.[]
I snapped my head up and met Kai’s complicated stare.]
His Adam’s apple bobbed, voice low. “Just apologize. You were in the wrong first.”
That moment, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart. For Celeste’s sake, he’d broken my hands and feet, put me through hell, and now he still wanted ME to apologize!
I fought like crazy to get back up.
Suddenly, a surge of blood rushed up my throat, the world spun around me, and I passed out again.]
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