Chapter 4

A collective gasp went through the crowd. Including mine.

Ms. Laurie didn't seem to feel one slap was enough. She kicked him savagely in the back of the knee.

Thud. Renly went down on his knees.

"There are two kinds of men I hate most in this world! Men who hit women! And men who two-time! And you managed to be both! If I didn't smack you, I'd be beyond pissed!"

Trisha stood to the side, her expression cold and detached, unreadable.

Renly scrambled to his feet, rage twisting his face. He didn't bother hiding his viciousness as he glared at Ms. Laurie. "Don't think you're so high and mighty! Just wait until I'm in a position to crush you! You just wait!"

Then, with the red handprint still fresh on his face and the whispers of the crowd buzzing around him, he hurriedly grabbed Trisha and dragged her away.

"Ms. Laurie, I really can't thank you enough for that. But that guy is rotten to the core. Please be careful and protect yourself."

Ms. Laurie just gave a carefree wave and walked off, like she was just a passerby.

I was left standing there alone, going back over what just happened in my head.

Trisha's reaction was so strange.

Seeing the man she loved getting hit—shouldn't she have been anxious or worried? Why was her face so cold?

And another thing, Renly didn't buy a watch the last time we were at that watch store.

I went back to the watch store Renly had visited.

Back then, I'd been standing by the door, bored out of my mind, not paying attention to what he was doing.

"Hi there, what kind of watch are you looking for?"

I shook my head at the owner and bent down, scanning the watches inside the glass display case.

There. I found the exact same watch Renly was wearing.

"Sir, could you take that one out for me?"

The owner tore himself away from his game, pulled the watch out, and handed it to me without a second thought.

I examined it carefully. It was a fake. No doubt about it.

A bold idea popped into my head.

I cleared my throat. It was hard to even get the words out. "Sir... this watch is a counterfeit. I think my ex-boyfriend must have switched them."

The owner, a six-foot-three wall of muscle, finally put his phone down. His face went slack with shock. "What?"

He snatched the fake from my hand, and two seconds of looking at it was enough to send his face a deep, furious purple. "Who's your ex-boyfriend? I'm going to make him pay!"

I'd heard the rumors about this watch store owner. He was a gym fanatic, solid muscle, and when he hit people, he didn't stop until it was serious.

Last time someone stole from him, the thief ended up with a broken arm and a broken leg.

I forced down the gleeful smile threatening to break out on my face and told him Renly's name, where he worked, and where he lived.

Then I put on a face full of bitter resentment and pain. "He's a total scumbag who abused me! We're finally broken up, so I got the courage to come tell you. Please, please don't tell him it was me. If he finds out, he'll make me pay for it!"

I squeezed out a few tears as I spoke.

The owner's eyes went wide with fury. He gave my shoulder a hearty, reassuring slap. "Don't you worry. I won't breathe a word. I'll find the right opportunity to take care of this scumbag, this watch thief! I'll beat him to a pulp!"

I gave the owner a deeply grateful smile. A dark thrill of revenge bubbled up inside me.

Renly, when you were beating me, did you ever imagine the day would come when someone would return the favor with their fists?