Chapter 8

Vivienne immediately dropped to her knees.

Her face turned pale.

“Grandfather...” Her voice trembled as tears filled her eyes. “I'm so sorry. Lori lost her balance and accidentally bumped into me. Everything happened so fast that I couldn't stop her before we stumbled into the convoy.”

I stared at her.

She was blaming me.

Again.

I quickly knelt down too.

“Grandfather...” I shook my head. “That's not what happened. Vivienne kept pulling me even after I told her to stop. I was only trying to get away from her.”

Before I could finish, Don Colorado raised one hand.

“Enough,” he said coldly before turning toward Jerome. “You were standing here the entire time, and you saw everything with your own eyes. So tell me... who caused this?”

The entire street fell silent. Every pair of eyes turned toward Jerome.

Including mine.

Jerome stayed silent.

His eyes moved from me to Vivienne, then back to me again. For one brief moment, I wondered if he would finally tell the truth. Would he finally choose me... just this once?

He lowered his head before speaking. “Grandfather, it was my wife. Lorelie acted carelessly and caused the disturbance, and this is my failure as her husband. If punishment is necessary, then I'll accept whatever decision you make on her behalf. I only ask that you allow me to take responsibility for failing to guide her properly.”

Everything around me went silent.

I couldn't hear anything anymore. It felt like the whole world had disappeared as I slowly looked at Jerome, the man I'd loved for seven years, the man who had lied to me for seven years. Then I laughed, a quiet, empty, broken laugh. I should've known. Why was I still hoping?

Don Colorado's expression darkened as he looked at me. “As the future Donna of the Partridge family, you should know better than anyone how to conduct yourself. You disrupted my convoy, endangered everyone around me, and embarrassed this family in public. Since you've forgotten your place, you'll be punished.”

He turned toward the guards. “Take her away.”

Two guards immediately grabbed my arms.

Vivienne suddenly rushed over and wrapped her arms around me as if she were comforting me. Tears filled her eyes as she cried loudly, “Grandfather... please don't be too angry with Lori. She didn't mean it. She's still grieving after losing her baby, so she hasn't been herself lately.”

She tightened her embrace, then leaned close enough that only I could hear her.

“You lost again, cousin,” she whispered with a smile hidden against my shoulder. “Jerome chose me without even thinking. Oh... let me tell you another secret. Jerome and I have been having an affair for a long time. Every time he leaves you, he comes to me instead. He has never stopped loving me.”

A soft laugh escaped her lips.

“You'll never win against me.”

She finally stepped back, wiping away fake tears before anyone could notice the satisfaction in her eyes.

Jerome suddenly stepped forward. “Grandfather, she's already been through a lot these past few days. If possible, please let today's punishment end once she's learned her lesson. I promise this won't happen again.”

Before Don Colorado could respond, the old consigliere quietly leaned toward Jerome. “Young Don, don't worry. We know how much you care about Donna Lorelie. This punishment is only for appearances. We'll stop before it becomes serious, then you can take her home yourself.”

Jerome's shoulders slowly relaxed. He nodded before looking at me. “Lori, just bear with it for a little while. It won't last long, and I'll come get you as soon as it's over. Trust me one more time.”

I smiled.

A sad, hopeless smile.

Come get me?

No, Jerome. You won't.

Today is the ninth day.

The medicine will finally work.

By the time you come for me... I'll already be dead.

Then maybe, for the rest of your life, you'll remember that every wound on my body, every scar, every nightmare, and every step that led me to death... started with you.

The guards dragged me into the punishment yard. The afternoon sun hung directly above us, its heat almost unbearable. Broken glass had already been scattered across the concrete.

“Make her kneel,” one of the guards ordered.

They forced me onto my knees. Sharp pieces of glass dug into my skin immediately, and I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Every slight movement drove the shards deeper into my flesh while the burning pavement beneath me made the pain even worse.

Minutes passed beneath the scorching sun. Sweat soaked my clothes as blood slowly spread beneath my knees. My vision blurred until I finally collapsed forward.

Someone sighed.

Then a whip cracked across my back.

“Get up,” a guard ordered. “You're not allowed to faint before your punishment is finished.”

Another lash struck before they yanked me upright again. I remained kneeling on the broken glass while the whip tore across my back again and again. Every time darkness tried to pull me under, another strike forced me awake. Time lost all meaning. I stopped counting. I stopped crying. I stopped begging.

There wasn't anything left inside me.

Only emptiness.

Only silence.

Then my chest suddenly tightened.

I couldn't breathe.

It felt like an invisible hand had wrapped itself around my heart.

The fake death medicine.

It was finally working.

So this is it.

My body slowly went limp as the voices around me drifted farther and farther away. I closed my eyes, and for the first time in seven years...

Everything became quiet.

“Boss... Miss Lorelie isn't breathing. I can't find a pulse either. I think... I think something's terribly wrong.”