Chapter 3

That afternoon, Adrian claimed I’d somehow sullied his morning suit and, as punishment, ordered me to tend to the villa's rose garden. It was the very garden Dante's late mother had cherished most.

The butler handed me a large pair of shears, his face impassive. "Young Master Adrian instructed that all the thorny branches must be trimmed."

I looked at the blooming roses, feeling a pang of reluctance.

"No 'buts.' It's an order."

The butler cut me off coldly.

I could only take the shears and step into the rose bushes.

The thorns were vicious, sharp as needles, and within minutes, my hands were a canvas of bleeding scratches.

Adrian sat on the nearby terrace, sipping red wine, enjoying my misery.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my fingertip.

A thick thorn had deeply pierced beneath my fingernail.

I gasped, tears instantly welling up.

Just then, a crisp white handkerchief appeared before my eyes.

I blinked, then slowly looked up, realizing Dante was suddenly beside me.

He sat in his wheelchair, his expression still cold, but his eyes were fixed on my bleeding finger.

"Fool."

He uttered a single word, sharp and clear, then pressed the handkerchief into my hand.

Before I could react, he had already turned his wheelchair and left.

I clutched the fragrant handkerchief, feeling a sudden sense of disorientation.

It was the first time he'd shown me anything other than utter indifference.

"Well, well. Already making moves, are we?" Adrian's sneering voice cut through the air.

He walked up, snatched the handkerchief from my hand, threw it on the ground, and ground it under his foot.

"Skylar, you're nothing but a stand-in for your sister, a bought dog for the Hayes family!"

"How dare you try to seduce my brother? Do you think you're worthy?"

He grabbed my wrist, dragged me to a nearby fountain, and brutally plunged my head into the icy water.

The freezing water instantly filled my nose and mouth, and the suffocating sensation made me thrash wildly.

"Time to rinse that foolishness out of your head and remind you of your place!"

My vision blurred. Just as I thought I was going to die, he yanked me out.

I clung to the edge of the fountain, coughing violently.

"Remember, if you ever dare to have such thoughts again, I'll dump you in the river for the fish."

Adrian's voice was a chilling whisper, like a demon straight from hell.

That night, I huddled in the corner of my room, soaked and shivering.

My phone buzzed, vibrating violently in my damp hand.

A strange number.

I answered, and a familiar voice trickled through the receiver.

"Skylar, it's me."

It was Chloe, my sister.

My grip on the phone tightened, nails digging into my palm.

"You actually have the nerve to call me?"

"Oh, come on, sis, don't be so dramatic." Chloe's voice was annoyingly light. "I'm just checking in, you know. How are things at the Hayes mansion?"

Rage surged within me.

"Thanks to you, I'm having an 'absolute blast'!"

"That's good then."

Chloe seemed to miss my sarcasm entirely. "Skylar, you know, I only ran away to find my own happiness. You helping me is helping our entire family."

"Oh, and by the way, my boyfriend's startup is a little short on funds. Since you're Mrs. Hayes now, just a little something from your pocket change would be more than enough for us."

I trembled with anger, unable to utter a single word.

The sheer audacity of her!

Just then, the door burst open with a violent kick.

Adrian stood in the doorway, a malicious grin on his face.

"Well, well, who are you talking to?"

He snatched my phone and saw "Sister" on the call screen.

"Ah, so it's the runaway bride herself on the line."

He put the call on speaker, and Chloe's voice came through clearly.

"…Skylar, why are you so quiet? You absolutely have to help me. My boyfriend and I are truly in love…"

Adrian's face grew darker and darker.

He ended the call and smashed the phone against the wall.

"Oh, how touching. Such sisterly devotion."

He took a step closer to me. "One ran away, the other's an inside accomplice. Are you Hayes girls just an ATM for the Hayes family?"

"No, I didn't…"

"Looks like you need a painful reminder to stay in line."

He suddenly smiled, a terrifying, chilling smile.

"Tomorrow is the Hayes family dinner. I'm excited to see how well you, the stand-in, can play the part in front of everyone."