Chapter 2

"Look at her, acting all tough. Mason, looks like your scare tactics aren't working anymore. Angel doesn't even care."

The mocking laughter from Mason's friends made him frown. "Angel, did you lose your tongue?"

Everyone could feel his growing anger.

To suck up to him, one of his friends threw a glass bottle straight at me.

The heavy glass shattered against my forehead. Instantly, I smelled the copper tang of my own blood.

In the next second, Mason jumped down into the yard, suddenly looking panicked. "What happened?"

Meeting his worried eyes, I felt a brief moment of daze.

Did he actually care about me?

But then, a cold sneer appeared on Mason’s face.

"Don’t flatter yourself. I’m only worried you’ll bleed out. If you die, who’s going to give Windsor her transfusion today?"

So that was it. I was just being pathetic again.

Ever since Windsor’s assault three years ago, I had been labeled the villain.

Everyone said, "It was Angel. She thought Mason was sleeping with Windsor, so she hired those men to ruin her."

Mason didn’t even ask. He just believed it.

Since then, they had subjected me to endless torture. Whenever Windsor needed blood, I had to drain myself.

If I hesitated even a little, they would target my parents.

My parents’ health was already failing. After years of Mason’s harassment, they were at their breaking point.

Before they dragged me here today, the hospital had called me.

"Miss Angel, you should start preparing for your parents' funerals."

That phone call felt like a lightning strike. All my years of silent suffering felt entirely pointless.

And an hour ago, Mason’s men brought my parents to the hound yard.

They said they wanted my parents to watch me fight the black mastiff.

In that moment, I had begged them. "Please, no. My parents are too old. Their hearts can’t take this. Please, don’t do this."

When I knelt and begged, I saw a flash of panic in Mason’s eyes.

But it didn't stop them. My parents were still forced to watch.

When they saw me being pushed toward the raging dog, they smiled at me.

Their smiles were so pale, so final. It was their last goodbye to me.

The next second, they took their own lives right in front of me.