Chapter 4
“You’re still trying to lie your way out of this?”
Kevin’s chest heaved with fury. “I thought you were just bluffing earlier–I didn’t expect you’d actually planned this all along. What else do you have to say for yourself?”
Lena’s ears were ringing.
She was confused, too. That comment she made earlier in the morning? It was totally offhand. But somehow, it ended up being dead–on.
Unless…
Her gaze snapped to Zoey, sharp and full of suspicion.
The girl in Kevin’s arms was now smiling–none of the earlier tears or pitiful expressions remained. It was clear as day who’d set this up.
“Why are you glaring at Zoey?” Kevin barked, his temper flaring even more. “You’re embarrassed now that your little scheme blew up? I’ve spoiled you way too much. This time, you’re going to face the consequences and learn your lesson.”
Spoiled her? When did that ever happen? If he ever spoiled anyone, it sure wasn’t her.
Even knowing how heartless he could be, Lena still felt a stab of pain hearing him talk like that. She gave a bitter smile. “So what’s your plan this time, Mr. Halden? How exactly do you want to punish me?”
Force her to apologize?
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Or maybe dangle those nude photos of her like some kind of bargaining chip?
Whatever it was, she wasn’t scared anymore.
But it turned out to be neither. Kevin dragged her back to his villa–and locked her inside the abandoned storage room in the backyard.
And that was her other nightmare.
Just as the heavy door was about to close, Lena grabbed his hand, trembling all over. “Kevin, please don’t leave me in here.”
She was terrified of the dark. She also had claustrophobia–a childhood trauma Kevin knew all about. In fact, he’d once been so accommodating he stopped sleeping with the lights off just for her.
But now, just to appease Zoey, he was using it to punish her.
It was cruel. It’s way too cruel.
“I told you.” Kevin looked down at her, his face devoid of sympathy. “You need to be taught a lesson. Otherwise, you’ll just keep bullying Zoey.”
And with that, he pried her fingers off and shut the door in her face.
Darkness fell instantly. Lena pounded on the door, frantic. But the only thing that answered her were the damp, metallic smells of rust–and the faint squeaking of rats and bugs in the corners,
She curled into herself, gasping for air, crying until she passed out from exhaustion. And then she dreamed.
In her dream, she brought Kevin to meet Patricia. But Patricia took one look at him and said, “Lena, this man doesn’t love you. If you marry him, you’ll regret it.”
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She was right. And now, the regret was setting in.
But it was too late.
The next day, the storage room door finally opened.
Only it wasn’t Kevin. Zoey had someone come to let her out.
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Back in the living room, Zoey was alone. She was dressed in her usual white dress, holding a paintbrush in front of an easel, the picture of purity and grace. But Lena knew better–she knew what lurked behind that polished exterior.
When she saw Lena come in, Zoey stopped painting.
She twirled her paintbrush between her fingers, then slowly circled around Lena, sizing her up. “Even looking like a total mess, you’re still kind of pretty,” she said casually. “No wonder Kevin liked you. But too bad–I’ve got my eye on your spot now.
Lena looked back at her calmly, then gave a faint, indifferent smile. “You want it? Be my guest.”
Zoey froze for a second, then scowled. “I don’t need your permission. He was mine to begin with. If I’d known he’d turn out so successful, I wouldn’t have gone abroad with that nouveau riche jerk. Then you wouldn’t have even had a shot.”
So it was true–Kevin had been the one left behind.
Lena let out a soft laugh, unsure whether to pity him or just laugh at the whole mess.
“What are you laughing at?” Zoey snapped. Her calm was cracking, like she’d just thrown a punch into a pillow. She was about to lash out again when she caught sight of someone entering from the corner of her eye.
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A glint of malice flashed in her gaze. Suddenly, she stumbled backward toward the easel, knocking everything over in one loud crash. And in the same moment, her right hand made a quick, deliberate grab for a box cutter lying nearby.
“Ah–God, that hurts!” she screamed. Blood gushed out, pooling on the
floor.
