Chapter 3

I instantly froze in place, swallowing the sourness in my throat. My trembling fingers fumbled with the buttons on my clothes, creating several tangles before I managed to undo one.

Whistles blew continuously behind me as Madeline walked up to me in front of everyone, swirling her wine glass.

The next second, sharp red wine splashed directly at my face. My eyes stung unbearably-I could barely open them.

"Oops, so sorry~ my hand slipped."

Through my blurred vision, I saw Madeline playfully stick out her tongue at Lucas.

He smiled indulgently and reached out to pull her into his embrace.

"No need to apologize. At most, we'll give her an extra three thousand."

I pressed my lips together, my nails digging in tighter.

"It's taken this long and the jacket's only half off. So slow. Let me help you!"

A man's drunken laugh rang in my ears, followed by a harsh riiip-

My jacket was torn open by brute force, revealing my short waitress uniform underneath.

"Well, well, dressed so slutty. Who are you trying to seduce?"

I desperately clutched at my skirt hem, but to no avail.

More hands joined in.

My skirt zipper was pulled down, the hem roughly torn open.

Large expanses of skin were completely exposed to the cold air and prying eyes.

"No!"

I screamed until I lost my voice, curling up my body desperately, trying to use the remaining scraps of fabric and my trembling arms to cover myself.

"Fuck! Never thought this bitch had such a hot body. No wonder Daniel was willing to spend a million to buy her!"

"So what? She's probably been used up by everyone. Otherwise why would Daniel be willing to abandon such a beauty?"

A bone-chilling wind blew through the window, so cold it felt like it was cutting straight through my skin.

But even more piercing than the cold wind was the inescapable, burning humiliation.

Tears blurred my eyes as suffocating panic occupied my entire mind.

Through my blurred vision, I desperately reached out, trying to grab Lucas's pant leg.

But I saw him intimately leaning against the sofa with Madeline, carefully wiping the wine stains from her hands, looking at me as if I were someone completely insignificant.

No longer with the heartache of before.

I collapsed on the floor, trembling like a leaf, my heart aching as if being slowly sliced apart.

"Violet, if you can't handle just this, did you ever think about how I survived those five years inside?"

"This is what you owe me! You deserve this!"

As he spoke, an unfamiliar man took the opportunity to tear off my last shred of covering.

His disgusting thing suddenly appeared before my eyes.

The darkness from ten years ago engulfed me once again, my stepfather's sick, leering expression constantly surfacing before my eyes.

"Let me taste what this bitch is like!"

Instantly, I felt all the air around me being sucked away, the icy suffocation gripping my throat.

I kicked hard at the man's groin. A howl followed as a sharp slap came flying at me.

Tears mixed with blood blurred my face as he grabbed my neck and slapped me again.

During the struggle, a crystal ring on my chest fell to the ground and shattered.

"You fucking bitch, believe me when I say I'll kill you! I'll fuck-"

Before he could finish, Lucas kicked the man to the ground.

His gaze locked deadly on the ring.

After a long moment, his calm expression finally showed a crack.

His throat rolled slightly as he stared fiercely at the man against the wall.

"That's enough, stop messing around. Everyone get out!"

Everyone's eyes focused on me, whispered conversations continuing around me.

Unable to bear this terrifying pain any longer, I picked up my clothes from the floor and fled in panic.