HAYE

Chloe! Are

her manicured fingers touched my skin, a violent, phantom agony exploded in my kneecap-the exact spot

nuckles turned white, using every ounce of my willpower to suppress the monstr

er who had personally manipulated me, drained my

elax. I looked up at her, pasting on the same weak,

," I whispered, my voi

ice so the nearby Sweetbutts and Prospects could hear. "The moment I heard Blaze was making a scene at the gate, and that you and the

in reality, she was deliberately trying to paint Axel as an abusive tyrant in front of his

e, perfectly timed tear slip down my cheek. "He... he misund

vy sigh. She patted the back of my hand. "Oh, poor Chloe. Men are all like that, especially

hat had brainwashed me into believing Axel was a demon, m

y broken. "Maybe you're right. Bu

was set with a flawless diamond and engraved with "R.O." for Redwood Originals. It was a pricel

. The sheer, naked greed and burning jealousy in

atch it. "It's like a shackle, isn't it? It represents his ownership of you. I

eedom. She wanted the status, the power, and the man t

ant to play

y with Blaze, I can't take anything traceable with me. Axel's men would track this diam

ait. "I guess whoever finds it and comforts Axel after

her mind clearly racing with fantasies of s

ntained excitement. "You must leave it behind! For your own safety, of course!

all my valuable designer bags, limited-edition jewelry, and even that sp

face turning a s

s Blaze and Cherie's original plan: trick me into sellin

scape this monster! If you bring all those luxury goods back to me, I can secretly sell them to a fence for cash

ned or worn out half the things I gave her. But the temptation of the Old

s her face. "Of... of course, Chloe! Anything for my best frie

Cherie," I smiled, my

esperate to secure her "throne." I watched her ret