Chapter 9

“Don't pretend you don't know.”

His grip tightened around my wrist. “You couldn't get the medals and dog tag, so you decided to have Vesper kidnapped instead?”

I stared at him, then actually laughed because the accusation was so absurd.

“Silas, your own men brought me back from the gala. I've been watched every second since I left the hospital. Your soldiers follow me everywhere.”

I pulled my wrist from his hand and looked him straight in the eyes. “So tell me, when exactly was I supposed to kidnap Vesper?”

His face remained cold. “You could've ordered someone else to do it.”

“With what?”

I laughed bitterly. “I don't have an army, Silas. You do.”

He stepped closer. “Don't lie to me.”

“I'm not lying.”

My voice became firm as I held his gaze. “I didn't touch Vesper.”

I wiped the tears from my face and gave him a cold smile. “But if you're asking whether I'm sorry that someone finally made her afraid, then no.”

I shook my head.

“I'm not sorry at all.”

Silas stared at me for a moment, clearly caught off guard by my answer. Before he could say anything, the bedroom door opened, and Vesper walked in.

Her clothes were messy, her hair was all over the place, and a clear red handprint marked her cheek. She looked at me with those innocent, wounded eyes.

“Raven...”

Her voice trembled as she lowered her gaze. “It wasn't her fault. I shouldn't have argued with her. She was upset, and I understand that.”

Of course. Even after everything, she still knew exactly how to make herself look innocent.

Vesper reached for the service medals and dog tag hanging around her neck, then looked at Silas with a hesitant expression. “Silas, maybe I shouldn't keep these. Raven's already hurting, and I don't want to make things worse.”

Silas immediately caught her wrist. “Don't.”

His voice softened when he looked at her. “You don't have to give anything back because Raven can't control herself.”

Vesper lowered her eyes. “But...”

“No.”

Silas looked at me, and whatever softness had been in his face disappeared. “Someone like Raven doesn't deserve to wear or even touch something that belonged to a decorated soldier.”

My chest tightened.

My father's medals.

My father's dog tag.

And somehow, I was the one who didn't deserve them.

Silas turned toward the steward. “Take her to the punisment hall.”

I frowned. “What?”

“She’s been given enough chances.”

His voice was flat as he looked at me. “Raven, since you refuse to admit what you've done, you'll kneel in the ancestral hall until you understand your mistake.”

I almost laughed. “After everything you've done to me, you're still pretending I'm the problem?”

His eyes hardened. “If you did nothing wrong, you wouldn't be punished.”

I looked at him for a long moment before giving him a bitter smile. “You know what my biggest mistake was?”

Silas said nothing.

“MARRYING YOU.”

His expression changed for a second, but the coldness quickly returned.

“Add more hours.”

He looked toward the steward. “And no one lets her leave until I say so.”

I didn't beg. I didn't cry. I simply let his men take me away.

The punishment hall was cold, and they made me kneel on broken glass. The first few minutes were unbearable, but eventually the pain became something I could ignore. My knees started bleeding, yet I wasn't allowed to move. Two of Silas's men stood behind me the entire time, and whenever I tried to shift even slightly, one of them warned me.

“Donna, you can't move.”

So I stayed there.

Hour after hour passed while my legs went numb, my back ached, and blood slowly soaked through my clothes. I stared at the family altar in front of me and wondered how I had ended up there. Was this really the same family I thought I was marrying into? Was this really the man I once trusted with my life?

I almost laughed.

I had spent years studying toxins, saving lives, and working with some of the most dangerous substances in the world, yet I couldn't save my own daughter. I couldn't save my father, and I couldn't even save myself from the man I'd married.

The punshment hall doors finally opened, and Vesper walked in. She looked perfectly fine now, as if the red handprint on her cheek had never existed. The moment she saw me on the floor, her expression softened.

“Raven...”

She walked closer and lowered herself slightly, looking at me with practiced concern. “I pleaded with Silas for you. He was really angry, but I kept telling him you were only acting out because you're grieving.”

I looked at her without saying anything.

She smiled gently. “You can stop now. I've convinced him to let you go.”

My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.

I pulled it out with shaking fingers.

It was my lawyer.

“Ms. Raven, your divorce from Silas Thorne has been finalized. The divorce certificate has been delivered to your residence. Please check your mail.”

I stared at the message.

For the first time in weeks, I felt something other than pain.

Relief.

It was finally over.

I slowly pushed myself up. My knees screamed in pain, but I didn't care.

Vesper watched me with a faint smile. “I really hope we can put all of this behind us.”

I looked at her. “Don't worry.” I picked up my phone and met her eyes. “We're done.”

She blinked.

I gave her a faint smile. “And Vesper?” I looked straight into her eyes. “I'll be waiting to see how all of this ends for you.”

Her innocent expression froze for half a second before she quickly replaced it with another confused smile. “I don't understand what you mean.”

“I think you do.”

I turned around and walked out.

I limped all the way home. There was nothing left for me to pack except clothes and a few things that belonged to Riley and Dad. I put everything into my suitcase, but my hands stopped when I saw Riley's old picture.

I touched her face through the glass.

“I'm sorry, baby.”

My voice broke. “I couldn't protect you.”

I closed my eyes for a moment before putting the picture away. I wasn't staying here anymore.

I dragged my suitcase downstairs and took one last look around the house. This place had once been my home. Now it was nothing more than the place where I lost everything.

I walked out without looking back.

But before I reached the gate, a black car stopped in front of me. The window slowly rolled down, revealing a man with sharp features who looked at me from inside. He gave me a calm smile.

“Raven.”

I stopped.

He opened the door.

“I've come to fulfill our contract.”