Chapter 3

The text on the screen was painfully clear.

Julian burst into cold, derisive laughter.

"Summer, what kind of sick game are you playing now?"

"Making a burner account, pretending to be eighteen, texting yourself?"

"You think this pathetic roleplay is going to get my attention?"

He shoved my head down violently.

His heavy leather shoe kicked the edge of the tablet.

The tablet slid across the floor, crashing hard into the baseboard, its screen spiderwebbing with cracks.

"I'm not pretending."

"That really is me from ten years ago."

I gritted my teeth, fighting through the blinding pain in my shattered foot.

Chloe rubbed her stomach and purred against Julian's back.

"Julian, did she lose her mind?"

"She's actually making up stories about time travel."

"So pitiful. Not only is she crippled, but her brain is fried, too."

The disgust in Julian's eyes deepened.

He turned toward the glass display case in the corner, punched through the glass door, and snatched out the custom pointe shoes sparkling with diamonds.

My breath caught in my throat.

That was my entire life.

"Julian, don't touch my shoes!"

Dragging my dead, paralyzed legs, I crawled through the carpet of broken glass toward him.

Shards of glass sliced deep into my palms.

Julian pulled a sleek silver lighter from his pocket.

Flick. A bright flame sprang to life.

The firelight danced across his cruel, merciless features.

"If you don't want me to turn them to ash, kowtow to Chloe right now."

"One kowtow, and I leave you one shoe."

"Counting down from three."

I froze on the floor.

I looked at the shoes that carried every dream and ounce of pride I ever had.

Then I looked at my mangled, broken body.

Slowly, I bowed my head.

My forehead slammed hard against the freezing marble.

"I'm sorry."

Julian let out a mocking sneer.

"Too quiet. Chloe didn't hear you."

I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.

"I'm sorry, Chloe."

"I was wrong."

Chloe looked down at me from above, letting out a tinkling laugh.

"Summer, don't act like I'm bullying you."

"If someone posted this on TikTok, they'd think I'm harassing the disabled."

"Whatever, Julian, don't waste your breath on her."

She reached out and snatched the pointe shoes from Julian's hands.

Right in front of my face, she grabbed the silk ribbons and ripped them apart with a violent tug.

Then, she tossed the mangled shoes straight into the trash can.

"My baby says he doesn't like second-hand trash."

"Julian, you'll buy me brand-new ones tomorrow, right?"

Julian instantly wrapped his arms around her waist, his face dripping with indulgence.

"Of course. I'll get you limited-edition designer pairs tomorrow."

"Garbage like that isn't worthy of you anyway."

My fingernails dug so hard into my bleeding palms that skin tore.

My entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Just then, from the cracked tablet by the baseboard, another chime echoed.

This time, it wasn't a text.

The system automatically played a voice memo.

The voice was sweet, vibrant, and bursting with youthful joy.

[Julian! I secretly canceled my ticket to Paris today!]

[I'm staying to build your startup with you! If you ever break my heart in the future, I swear I'll break your legs!]