Chapter 4

Chloe’s face turned pale, guilt flashing in her eyes.

Carter stepped between us, his voice softening slightly, though his tone was still defensive.

"Chloe really liked the sapphire, so I took it off the collar and gave it to her."

"And that dog of yours has a terrible temper. He almost bit Chloe, so I dropped him off at a high-kill shelter in the next county."

Seeing my eyes turn red, he tried to put an arm around me.

"Come on, it’s just a dog. Chloe was terrified. Just buy her some jewelry, apologize, and we’ll call it even."

SLAP!

I slapped Carter across the face with everything I had.

"How dare you! Who gave you the right to throw my dog away?!"

"He has been with me for eleven years! He is my family! I promised him I’d be there until the end! You monster, give him back to me!"

I lost all control, grabbing Carter’s collar and scratching at his face.

Carter dodged, his eyes burning with rage.

"Seraphina, have you lost your mind?!"

"I don't care! Which shelter did you take him to? Get him back right now!"

I tried to drag him toward the door.

But he violently threw his arm back, casting me off.

"Enough! It’s just a stupid, useless dog! Get over it!"

His force was too strong. I lost my balance and tumbled backward, crashing down the spiral staircase.

My head slammed heavily against the wooden steps.

My vision blurred. A warm, thick liquid flowed down my forehead, dripping into my eyes. I touched it—my hand was covered in bright red blood.

Carter stared at me, his voice trembling.

"You... are you okay? Why is there so much blood?"

I gritted my teeth through the blinding pain.

"Call... call 911..."

He pulled out his phone, his hands shaking.

But then, Chloe’s sharp scream pierced the air from the living room. Without a second thought, Carter turned and ran toward her.

Chloe was lying on the floor, weeping.

"Carter, there’s dog hair on this sapphire... I think I’m having a severe allergic reaction!"

Carter hovered over her, looking horrified at the tiny, almost invisible red speck on her skin.

"Oh my god, this looks serious. What if it leaves a scar? We need to go to the hospital right now!"

He scooped her up in his arms.

As he ran down the stairs, he paused for a brief second, looking at me lying in a pool of blood.

But Chloe let out a weak cough, and his hesitation vanished.

"Stop faking it, Sera. It’s just a few steps. You're fine."

"Chloe’s skin is too delicate; I can't risk her throat closing up. Figure it out yourself, or just wait here until I get back."

With that, he carried her out, slamming the door.

It was our elderly neighbor who heard my groans and called the ambulance.

When I woke up in the hospital, my parents were sitting by my bedside, their faces pale with worry.

After I told them what happened, my mother was ready to murder Carter.

My dad immediately called our corporate lawyers to strip Carter of his Vice President title.

"How dare that bastard treat you like this! I actually thought he was a good man because he saved you. I was ready to hand my daughter over to him! I was blind!"

"He dared to let my daughter bleed on the floor? I will ruin him!"

I reached out, grabbing the edge of my dad's sleeve, and gave a weak smile.

"Let it go, Dad. Now, we are officially even. He saved my life, and I gave him a career. We owe each other nothing."

Suppressing the final trace of pain in my heart, I asked if I could go to Europe for a while to recuperate. My parents agreed immediately.

Over the next few days, I stayed in the VIP suite of the hospital.

Carter didn't call me once. He didn't even send a single text to ask if I was alive.

Meanwhile, Chloe’s Snapchat and Instagram stories were more active than ever.

She posted photos of Carter taking her on a luxury yacht cruise, enjoying fine dining.

There was even a photo of a man’s hand rubbing a white lotion onto her thigh.

The caption read: Got a bug bite, and he insisted on applying the ointment himself. I'm a grown girl, but he still treats me like a baby. So embarrassing!

In the photo, Carter’s right hand was still wearing our matching promise ring.

I smiled, opened my settings, and blocked both of them on every platform.

At the same time, out on the yacht, Carter suddenly felt a strange pang of anxiety.

Chloe had been so needy the past few days that he hadn't found time to call Sera. He wondered how her head was.

A wave of guilt hit him. Sera had tolerated a lot over the years.

Fortunately, he had finally found a specialized clinic in Switzerland that treated severe somatic touch disorders.

Once he sent Chloe there next week, he and Sera could finally have their happy ending.

He looked over at Chloe, who was busy taking selfies, and opened his mouth to speak, but his phone rang.

Thinking it was Sera, he answered it eagerly.

But the voice on the other end made him freeze.

"Mr. Sterling, your ex-girlfriend, Ms. Vance, has officially terminated the lease on your apartment.