er hand shot out, grabbing a heavy glass perfume bottle from the counter. Her knuckles were white as she raised it, her eyes fixed on me. "

glass narrowly missing my head, shattering against the marble wall with a deafeni

ding. This wasn't just a verbal spar

ith a chilling efficiency, grabbing my arms and pinning me against the wall. The

I demanded, struggling

ow," she whispered, her voice a cruel caress. "He'll see what a violent, unhinged animal you truly are." She raised her ha

kicking and thrashing. But

rse. It glinted under the harsh lights. My eyes widened in fear. This wasn

ed the tip of the dagger against my stomach, just enough to break the skin. A fresh wave of pain, a

. My stomach felt like a knot, twisting and turning. A sudden, overwhelming nausea.

o make you regret crossing me," she chirped. "A special tea I brew

ea she'd given me earlier, the one I'd dismissed as me

weak," one of t

finish this." She pulled the dagge

n any knife wound. I doubled over, retching violently, the contents of my stomach emptyi

umping back. "You

asn't just about dignity anymore. This was about survival. I swung my head back, slamming it into one man's nose. A si

ger prick, my head spinning from the poison. I had to get out. I had to get help

n ragged gasps. The pain in my stomach intensified, a burning, twisting agony. My head

t, finding myself in a dimly lit alleyway. I didn't stop, didn't look back. My legs wer

ing for air, clutching my stomach. The world was fading i

tranger's. Strong hands gently helped me up

o speak. "Poison... Drake... Ju

replaced by a dull ache. My wounds were cleaned and bandaged. The doctor had said it was a mild poison, thank goodne

ed, manipulative psychopath. She had tried to kill me. Not just emotionally, but physically

ettle in my heart. This was no long

or cafe. She looked pristine, innocent in a white summer dress, sipping tea. She hadn'

e looked up, startled, her eyes widening in fear.

dangerously calm. My eyes were cold, devo

lips. "Chelsie! You're... you're out of the hospital. I was so wo

with yourself yesterday, orchestrating my demise." My gaze hardened. "Let me be clear. You tried

re talking about," she stammered, her voice

he men you hired. And a very good lawyer who loves digging up dirt." My lips curled into a predatory smile.

usly. "Drake will never believe y

you and me." Without another word, I grabbed her teacup, the one she had been sipping fr

"You bitch! You broke my wrist!" she cried, clutching her arm w

a sudden, powerful shove, I pushed her. She stumbled backward, lost her footing, and to

e shallow water, her pristine white dress soaking, clinging to

athetic cries, a cold satisfaction settling in

with panic. He didn't even look at me. His eyes were fixed on Julia, flailing in the water. Wit

ick with concern. He stroked her wet hair back f

cked me! She pushed me! She tried to drown me!" Her eyes, wide

ing into mine. "Chelsie! What the hell have you done?!" h

, Drake!" I spat, pointing at Julia. "Sh

g her face in his shoulder. "She's lying! She's al

my face streaked with blood from Julia's nails, my clothes slightly torn. He didn't h

a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "After what she did? A

his voice hardening. "You're out of contro

voice rising. "Check the cameras! They'll show

rake... my head... I feel faint..." she whimpered,

looked terrified. He scooped her up, ignoring my pleas, ignoring the blood

tacked a sick woman. This is unacceptable." He turned to his security detail, who had just arrived. "Take her home. And make sure she doe

I hated being controlled. He was sending me to the one place I dreaded most. My eyes burned with

rms, and walked away, his back to me once more. Just like i

oo strong. They dragged me to his car, my heart pounding with a mixture of terror and white-hot rage. He knew. He knew my

k, suffocating tomb. Every shadow seemed to twist into monstrous shapes, every creak of the old house amplif

huddled in a corner of the room, my body trembling, my mind numb. I hadn't slept.

exhaustion. He looked at me, huddled on the floor, my face streaked with dried tears an

ngly soft. He knelt, reaching out for

nected with his cheek, a sharp, resounding slap. "Don't you dare touch me!" I screamed, my voice raw with pent-up fury. "You

my blow. "I needed to make you understand," he murmured, his voice

g freely. "She poisoned me! She sent those men! She's evil, Drake! And you're so

takes to make things right," he said, his voice firm. "

"Then let me go, Drake! Let me go! This isn't a marriage. It's a prison. And I

helsie. And you'll stay mine. No matter what." He turned to leave, then paused. "Your allo

y can buy my forgiveness? My happiness? My freedom?" I grabbed the nearest object, a heavy crystal paperweight, and hurled it across the roo

tered room. The silence was deafening. My heart ached, a deep, hollow pain that no amount of money, no amount

He just didn't know it. He thought he was giving me a gilded cage. I would use his own money to buy my freedom. I would ma