Kenneth Conley's desire for Vanessa Motley's body was as relentless as ever.

Once again, under his violent thrusts, she passed out before she could take the morning-after pill.

When she came to, she found herself at the racetrack, her hands bound, the other end of the rope tied to the reins.

Whenever a mission was complete, if Kenneth was unsatisfied, punishment followed.

The housekeeper snapped, "You disobeyed Mr. Conley's command, resulting in injury to his beloved. You are to be dragged for ninety-nine laps. Learn your lesson and do not repeat this mistake."

A whip cracked against the horse's back, and in an instant, Vanessa was pulled to the ground.

From the day she replaced her injured brother to become Kenneth's bodyguard, her life had belonged to him.

In the eight years since, she had been stabbed, shot, and faced death countless times for him.

No matter the danger, she had always shielded him, performing her duties flawlessly.

But the last time, as she was covering Kenneth and his fiancée, Brittany Randall, while leading them out, Brittany insisted on going back for a lost ring.

When the explosion erupted, Kenneth ordered her to save Brittany. For the first time, Vanessa disobeyed—shielding him instead. Brittany was injured as a result.

When the horse finally stopped, Vanessa returned to the household, battered and bruised. Just then, she saw her brother, Humphrey Motley, being loaded into a car headed somewhere unknown.

She rushed forward, only to be stopped by a servant.

"Humphrey volunteered to be a test subject for Ms. Randall's brother's lab. But everyone knows it's a one-way trip. Six bodies have been sent out this month alone.

"Vanessa, don't you see? This is your punishment for disobeying Mr. Conley."

Vanessa's vision blurred, her ears ringing.

How was she wrong for prioritizing Kenneth's safety?

If he was angry about Brittany's injury, he could punish her directly. Why involve Humphrey? He had done nothing wrong.

Ignoring her blood-stained clothes, Vanessa stumbled to the hospital.

The hospital room door was open. Inside, Kenneth sat by the bed, patiently coaxing Brittany to take her medicine.

Brittany spotted Vanessa first. "What is she doing here?" She pouted, pushing the medicine away. "Checking if I'm dead yet?"

Kenneth, interrupted just as he was about to finish feeding Brittany, frowned in displeasure.

His cold gaze fell on Vanessa's blood-soaked clothes. "Why are you here like this? Is this some kind of protest? Showing me you're not convinced by the punishment?"

Biting her dry lip, Vanessa struggled before whispering, "Mr. Conley, I know I shouldn't have disobeyed your order. I was wrong. But ... could you please recall Humphrey from being a test subject? He was injured protecting you. For that, could you—"

"Isn't it a bodyguard's job to take the hit for his employer?" Brittany cut in, linking her arm with Kenneth's, tears welling in her eyes.

"Ken, you promised to fulfill any demand I made. I already told Eugene he'd have his test subject. You won't make me break my word, will you?"

Kenneth pinched her cheek affectionately. "Since when have I broken a promise to you?"

Vanessa's heart sank.

Once Humphrey entered that lab, he would never come out.

Overwhelmed, Vanessa pulled out the necklace with a bullet pendant she never took off.

"Mr. Conley, do you remember this? It's the first bullet I took for you. Back then, you said you owed me a life. Can I exchange it for Humphrey's life?"

Humphrey and Vanessa had been taken in by the Conley family as children. After Humphrey was injured protecting Kenneth and was properly cared for, Vanessa had taken his place.

She would always remember her first mission.

They were nearly wiped out, and only she and Kenneth were left. She shielded him, swearing, "Mr. Conley, I'll get you home safe, even if I die."

She served as his human shield until backup arrived. Only then did she relieve and realize that she'd been shot.

Kenneth stayed by her side for three days straight.

When she woke to see the worry etched on his face, she fell for him completely. Besides Humphrey, he was the first person who ever cared about her.

Kenneth placed the extracted bullet in her palm and said, "Think about what you want. You can come to me anytime."

Later, when Kenneth was plotted against by a rival and got drugged, he tore her clothes and pinned her beneath him in a critical moment.

What started as an accident became an addiction due to his craving for touch.

He had never been with any other woman, and his desire for her lasted for years.

Besides protecting him, Vanessa also had to satisfy his physical needs.

At his most intense, he kept her in bed for two days and nights, leaving her drained and powerless whenever she tried to resist.

Few knew Vanessa was not just his bodyguard—she was his cure.

She had always kept that bullet close to her heart, never wanting to ask him for anything.

But now, she had no choice.

The room fell into dead silence. Kenneth looked at her, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You're my bodyguard. Protecting me is your job. Are you trying to claim credit now?"

Vanessa bit her lip until she tasted blood.

Everyone praised Kenneth for his integrity, for treating his people right.

But it turned out his cruelty was reserved for her alone.

He punished her mercilessly over Brittany's injury and saw no issue with letting Humphrey die over a casual promise to Brittany.

There was a time when Vanessa naively believed that all her sacrifices would earn her at least a little of his softness.

After all, in the heat of passion, he had murmured her name with something like affection.

But now she knew—she had been a sentimental fool.

A drop of tear splashed onto the tip of her shoe. She clenched her fists, her heart squeezed by an invisible hand, hurting so much she could barely breathe.

With red-rimmed eyes, she stared stubbornly at Kenneth. "What do I have to do for you to let Humphrey go?"

Kenneth frowned slightly. "Know your place. What right do you have to negotiate with me?"

She closed her eyes and laughed inwardly. So, this was her reward for eight years of devotion.

Dejected, she returned to the shabby home she shared with Humphrey. Just then, a knock came at the door.

The man outside was dressed in a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow.

"Ms. Motley," he said, "care to make a deal for Mr. Motley's life?"

Back at the Conley's mansion, Vanessa felt numb, her mind adrift.

She still didn't know who the cloaked man was—but at this point, it didn't matter. Whoever he was, he was her last hope.

She hadn't given him an answer right away, saying she needed time to think.

And he hadn't pressed her either, only left a number and told her to call once she'd decided.

In the days that followed, Vanessa searched desperately for any news of Humphrey. When she finally saw him again, it was at the Randall family's dinner.

Sitting in a wheelchair, Humphrey looked at Vanessa from across the room.

Her heart ached at the sight of him—his face, once pale, was now bloodless and gaunt.

Linking her arm with Kenneth's, Brittany smiled sweetly, "Ken, it's been so long since Vanessa's seen Humphrey. Why don't you give her some time to be with him?"

After a brief frown, Kenneth nodded.

Vanessa was led to a dimly lit room. When she lifted the curtain, her breath caught. Humphrey was hanging against the wall, his body covered in horrific wounds.

His legs dangled limply, the torture so severe that bone was visible in places.

"Humphrey!" Vanessa cried, rushing forward.

But Brittany grabbed her wrist hard.

With Kenneth absent, Brittany dropped all pretense of gentleness. A cold sneer twisted her lips. "Want to spare him the suffering? Fine. Take his place. Then maybe I'll talk to Eugene about letting him go."

"Don't... Nessa... Leave me..." Humphrey shook his head weakly.

Before he could finish, Brittany struck him hard with a whip, her eyes vicious. "You don't get to speak."

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and Vanessa's heart shattered.

She glared at Brittany with pure hatred, wanting nothing more than to tear Brittany apart.

"Don't look at me like that, Vanessa. You have five seconds. If you refuse, I promise he'll lose a leg right now."

Vanessa's fists clenched until her nails dug into her palms. She had no choice.

Humphrey's legs were already broken. He didn't deserve any humiliation.

She didn't care what happened to her—but he had never done anything wrong. She knew Brittany was doing this to punish her.

She had to save him.

Resigned, she closed her eyes. When Brittany reached "one", she whispered, "OK. I agree. Please... Just keep your word."

Soon, she was taken to the room next door, a black cloth tied tightly over her eyes.

Then she was shoved onto a bed, her wrists and ankles locked into restraints.

Her clothes were torn away roughly, and a coarse hand roamed over her body.

She shuddered violently as a man climbed on top of her. "Well, well... Kenneth's little plaything really is something else," a voice sneered.

It was Eugene Randall—Brittany's brother.

The monster who experimented on living people, the one who had tortured Humphrey beyond recognition.

Vanessa writhed beneath him, desperate to throw him off.

But Eugene only laughed, pressing an electric prod against her sensitive spot.

A sharp, searing pain shot through her, and she cried out helplessly.

Her cries seemed to excite him further.

As he continued to shock her, he ripped off his belt and ran his tongue over her wounds. "Please me, and maybe I'll—"

Just then, the door burst open with a loud bang.

A bottle smashed against Eugene's head, and he was kicked violently aside.

"Ken, Eugene's innocent!" Brittany cried, throwing herself in front of Kenneth, tears streaming down her face.

"Vanessa drugged him! She set this up to frame him!"

Kenneth's face was dark with murderous rage. He glanced at Eugene on the floor, his gaze dangerous. "Vanessa drugged him?"

"Yes! She's a trained fighter—there's no way Eugene could've forced her!"

Hearing this, Kenneth strode toward Vanessa and gripped her throat with crushing force. "Are you really that horny? Throwing yourself at any man in sight?"

Under Kenneth's forceful grip, Vanessa could hardly breathe. She struggled, shaking her head. "I never did such a thing! Brittany promised me they'd let Humphrey go if I took his place..."

But Kenneth didn't believe her. "Eugene gave me his word he'd never hurt Humphrey. At least think before you lie."

Then he brutally dragged her and shoved her into his car without giving her another chance to speak.

Back at the Conley's mansion, he pushed her into the bathtub.

He stripped her naked and doused her body with alcohol. The cold liquid soaked her skin as he scrubbed her harshly, as though she were filthy.

Under the sting of the alcohol, Vanessa's old and new injuries screamed in protest. She trembled uncontrollably, curling into a ball.

Blood streaked from her wounds, turning the bathwater pink within minutes.

"You climbed into my bed while I was drugged, and now you're trying the same trick again? Mark my words—you're mine, and you always will be. Even if you die!"

He scrubbed harder, his eyes bloodshot. "Rinse yourself clean. I can't stand others laying a hand on what's mine."

The same trick?

So, all this time, he'd believed she was the one who took advantage of him that night.

She never cried, not when cornered or hunted.

She never broke, not even when captured and tortured by his enemies.

When severely injured, all she could think of was his safety.

But this was who she was in his eyes.

The heartache made it hard to breathe. Heavy tears, mixed with blood, rolled down Vanessa's cheeks. She went still, giving up the struggle, letting him scrub her skin raw.

After what felt like an eternity, he rinsed her with icy water and tossed her onto the bed, staining the pristine sheets red instantly.

Blood continued to seep from her body, but Kenneth seemed not to notice, thrusting into her ruthlessly.

The physical pain intensified. Instinctively, Vanessa tried to push him away—but he took it as resistance.

He clamped her wrists and claimed her even more roughly.

In the past, he'd lost control at times, but never like this—never as though he wanted her dead.

She used to cling to his occasional gentleness, fooling herself into thinking that even though he didn't love her, she was at least special to him.

Now she knew—in his eyes, she was just a tool, a toy, something he could use and discard.

Even a stray dog probably meant more to him.

The sharp pain, both physical and emotional, made Vanessa's breath hitch. Tears soaked into the sheets as she laughed bitterly through her crying.

Numb, she endured Kenneth's relentless urges until he was finally spent. Finally, she made up her mind.

When the room fell silent again, she dialed a number.

"OK. I agree to the deal. But you must ensure Humphrey's safety."

From that day on, Vanessa was locked in that room.

She didn't see Kenneth again—until one night, when he drank too much and took her madly until dawn. As daylight approached, Brittany's voice rang out from the other side of the door.

"Ken, I'm going hiking tomorrow. Can you assign Vanessa to protect me?"

Kenneth withdrew from Vanessa's body, dressed, and left without looking back.

The moment he opened the door, Vanessa met Brittany's gaze—a flash of vicious malice in the latter's eyes.

"Ken, everyone knows how capable Vanessa is. I won't feel safe without her."

Kenneth didn't hesitate. "OK. Whatever you want."

His words were like a sharp blade through Vanessa's heart.

She remembered once, when Kenneth's father, Collin Conley, had demanded her protection, she'd refused. She'd always remember what Kenneth had once said to her. "Vanessa protects me, and me only. Never anyone else."

But now, he'd agreed just like that—handing her over to protect Brittany, the woman he truly loved.

Sitting beside Brittany in the car, Vanessa looked out, scanning their surroundings with practiced vigilance.

Kenneth had countless business rivals and enemies, and protecting him had always been her sole purpose.

Yet for Brittany's sake, he had reassigned her—his own personal bodyguard—without a second thought.

When the marriage alliance between the Randall and Conley families was first announced, Vanessa had tried to convince herself that Kenneth was being forced into it.

How foolish she had been. Kenneth and Brittany were childhood sweethearts. Of course, he loved her.

"Vanessa, do you really think just because you're by Ken's side every day, you mean something to him?" Brittany's voice was a low, venomous whisper.

"Sadly, you're wrong. To him, you're just a convenient plaything. Do you know why he sleeps with you and not me?

"Because he doesn't want to hurt me. The precious night, of course, is reserved for our wedding night. But his urges? Those, he can take out on anyone.

"A word of advice—know your place. Can't you see? You're nothing."

Each word was a stab to Vanessa's heart, but she remained silent, her face an expressionless mask.

Her composure only seemed to irritate Brittany more.

Suddenly, she grabbed Vanessa's hands, her grip painfully tight. "You're just a toy Ken uses. How dare you covet what's mine!"

At that moment, a violent impact jolted the car.

Instinct took over—Vanessa threw herself over Brittany, shielding her. Soon, another crash followed, slamming the car into a concrete barrier. Flames began to lick at the vehicle.

Vanessa kicked the door open and pushed Brittany out.

But as she moved to follow, Brittany slammed the door shut with brutal force. "Go to hell!"

Vanessa's heart dropped. A sharp piece of steel had pierced her left abdomen, and blood was already pooling beneath her. Clutching the wound, she mustered every ounce of strength to keep crawling.

She couldn't die here—not yet. She still had to save Humphrey.

In the next second, the car exploded. The blast threw Vanessa through the air. She landed hard, her vision flickering.

Just then, Kenneth's convoy arrived. He rushed out and, for a moment, his steps seemed to carry him toward Vanessa's bloodied form—but Brittany's voice stopped him.

"Ken..." she sobbed, "you're finally here... I was so scared..."

Her eyes were red and swollen, her voice weak and pitiful. "It hurts, Ken..."

Kenneth paused. Then he gathered her into his arms, checking her over carefully.

When the ambulance arrived, the medical team naturally moved toward the more critically injured Vanessa.

But Kenneth cut in sharply, "Take Britty first."

Looking at Vanessa, the lead medic hesitated. "But she's severely injured—she's losing blood, showing signs of shock." He glanced at Brittany, then added, "The woman you're holding only has minor—"

"Did I stutter?" Kenneth's voice was ice. "Take Britty to the hospital. Now."

Helpless, the medical team loaded a barely-scratched Brittany into the ambulance.

Vanessa's vision blurred. She almost wanted to laugh, watching the concern and anxiety in Kenneth's eyes as he hovered over Brittany.

She could feel her own body growing cold, the irony bitter on her tongue. The man she had secretly loved for eight years was nothing but a cold-hearted monster.

A pair of custom leather shoes entered her fading line of sight.

She looked up with difficulty as Kenneth's voice reached her. "Britty has been pampered all her life. She's never been hurt before. The only two times she has been were when you failed your duty. Report for your punishment when you return to the mansion."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Through it all, he had never bothered to ask about Vanessa's injuries.

Vanessa lay on the ground, a deep cold spreading through her veins. Blood seeped from her wound, and she felt like a rag doll of no concern to anyone.

A memory surfaced—a time she had shielded Kenneth from a blade, and he had frantically demanded she not die on him.

Back then, she had been so determined—as long as he showed even a flicker of care about her, she would endure anything, stand by his side, and protect him at all costs.

But now?

With Brittany around, he wouldn't even glance her way. He probably wouldn't bat an eye if she died right in front of him.

Her life meant nothing when weighed against Brittany's.

In immense pain, Vanessa closed her eyes. Perhaps this was for the best. The Conley family had raised her and Humphrey. But that life-long debt had been paid with every wound, every risk, every time she had shielded Kenneth with her own body.

"From now on," she muttered, "Kenneth... I owe you nothing."

Vanessa was rushed to the hospital. While still disoriented, she was brutally dragged onto the floor.

The wound on her abdomen, which had been stitched multiple times, tore open instantly, blood immediately soaking her hospital gown.

"You've got some nerve, trying to hurt Britty. The driver who caused the crash confessed—you had it in for Britty and deliberately took a detour down that deserted road."

Kenneth looked down at her, his gaze frosty. "Vanessa, you know Britty is my fiancée. How dare you?"

"Ken, Vanessa has always held a grudge against me. I don't think it's just because of Humphrey. It's probably because of you, too... Maybe she thinks that once I'm gone, she can have you..." Brittany said tearfully.

Her act and words were so flimsy, yet Kenneth bought it without a second thought.

Stunned, Vanessa widened her eyes and shook her head frantically, explaining, "That's not true! I never meant to harm Ms. Randall. If I wanted her dead, why would I have saved her?"

Besides, it was the other way around—Brittany wanted her dead. Brittany had locked her in the car before it exploded...

But suddenly, Vanessa felt all her strength leave her. She knew Kenneth wouldn't believe a single word she said.

After all, Brittany was the one he loved.

Kenneth's expression darkened. Vanessa looked at him, trying to find even a trace of warmth in his eyes, but there was none.

He let out a cold scoff. "It's not the first time you've failed at your job. You know my rules. You'll be taken to the racetrack for punishment. Now."

Vanessa's eyes filled with utter disbelief. She was still bleeding, and he wanted her punished now?

Brittany chimed in, feigning sympathy, "Ken, just let it go. I mean, she's injured, too. You don't want to escalate this—what if she dies?"

Kenneth patted the back of her hand reassuringly. "Rules are rules. They don't bend for anyone. Besides, my family took her in. She owes us her life."

He raised a hand and signaled his bodyguards. "Take Vanessa back. Have the housekeeper carry out the punishment."

Vanessa trembled violently, trying desperately to hold back her tears.

The harsh reality hit her—to Kenneth, her life was worthless, something to be discarded at a moment's notice. It had never occurred to him that she was a living person, too, that she would feel pain like anyone else.

All these years, she had held onto his words from long ago—"You're mine, and you always will be. Even if you die!" She had actually believed he had once cared for her, even just a little.

But it had always been an illusion.

How stupid she had been, thinking a monster like him would actually care for her.

As Vanessa was thrown onto the racetrack, rain began to pour down in sheets.

The housekeeper approached her, a whip in hand. The ninety-nine lashes were simply too much for her in her current state.

Nevertheless, the whip came down on her with a sickening crack, nearly slamming her face-first into the mud and filth.

In that degrading state, she received ninety-nine lashes, each one delivered without an ounce of mercy.

Heavy rain beat down on her torn and broken body—the pain was so raw she trembled uncontrollably, her life hanging by a thread.

Through the downpour, she made out Brittany and Kenneth watching from the car. Their eyes held nothing but contempt, as though she were trash.

Then Kenneth gently stroked Brittany's hair and asked, "You're not upset anymore, are you?"

She melted into his arms with a bashful smile and kissed his Adam's apple in satisfaction.

The sight of their smiles pierced what was left of Vanessa's shattered heart, sending a sharp, lancing pain through her entire being.

Eight years of loyalty and devotion—all exchanged for Kenneth's bone-chilling heartlessness.

By the time the doctor arrived, Vanessa was barely breathing. It took everything he had to stabilize her.

She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious. Drifting back into awareness, she noticed a new WhatsApp message.

It was sent two days earlier.

Attached were humiliating photos of Humphrey that had already gone viral.

The text read, "They're auctioning Humphrey off today—he's going to the highest bidder. A bunch of creeps already can't wait."

Vanessa's heart clenched.

Ignoring the searing pain from her wound, she snatched her weapon and rolled out of bed, charging straight toward Eugene's lab.

Eugene had made preparations to deal with her—upgraded security, extra guards—but nothing could stop her.

She forced her way in. The moment she entered, she heard a lewd voice.

"It's been a while since you had any fun, hasn't it? I paid a fortune for a night with you. Tonight, you'd better make my money worth it."

An older man was applying lubricant to Humphrey, who was forced to lie on the floor in humiliation, his clothes torn.

The sight burned Vanessa's eyes.

She kicked the man hard in the head, then broke his arm with a sharp crack.

Just then, Eugene appeared from the shadows. He said provocatively, "You've got some nerve showing up here, Vanessa. Aren't you afraid Kenneth will kill you?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll kill you first."

Vanessa moved toward him, step by step, each one heavy as if walking toward an abyss.

Eugene stepped back, reaching for his whip, but she was faster—her move crippled his hand.

He cried out in pain.

Without a second glance, Vanessa clothed Humphrey, lifted him onto her back, and ran.

"Leave me, Nessa... Go. Don't defy Kenneth because of me. He'll never let you off..."

As Humphrey spoke, he coughed up a mouthful of blood onto her shoulder.

She shook her head, heart breaking. "No. We leave together. I won't go without you."

Regret burned through her—if only she had come sooner, spared him this humiliation.

Once outside the lab, she flicked a lighter and tossed it onto the curtains inside. Flames began to climb as she hurried away with Humphrey on her back.

But she knew—they couldn't escape. To make things worse, Humphrey had fallen unconscious.

As she struggled to get him into a car, dense footsteps closed in from behind. She gave the driver an address and urged him to leave at once.

Then she ran in the opposite direction—a diversion to buy Humphrey time.

It wasn't long before she was cornered.

"Do you really think you can run?"

That familiar, sharp voice made Vanessa go pale. She hadn't expected Kenneth to come after her himself.

"It seems you haven't learned your lesson, Vanessa. How dare you betray me like this and even attempt to escape? You know exactly how my family deals with traitors."

Kenneth's gaze was dark, his expression ice-cold. As he closed in, she had no doubt he'd strangle her then and there.

He loosened his collar, furious. "And you set the Randall family's lab on fire? You've surely grown bold."

Vanessa took a deep breath. "Eugene humiliated Humphrey and tortured him to the brink. Shouldn't I make things right?"

In all the years Kenneth had known her, Vanessa had rarely shown emotion. But today, her eyes burned with a fire he'd never seen. She looked like a different person.

"Make things right?" he sneered. "What right do you have?"

"Ken, stop wasting your breath! She crippled Eugene's hand! He's in the ER now, fighting for his life! I'm going to kill her!"

Brittany suddenly rushed forward with a knife and slashed Vanessa's face.

In an instant, Kenneth's expression darkened. He caught Brittany's wrist in a tight grip. "I will deal with my bodyguard. No one else touches her."

Brittany froze, startled. He had never used that tone with her before.

She shuddered and fell silent, stunned into stillness.

Brittany shot a venomous glare at Vanessa.

Was Kenneth playing favorites with Vanessa?

"Do you really think I will let this slide?" Kenneth gripped Vanessa's chin, his voice a low, threatening murmur.

He gave a slight nod, and one of his men immediately responded.

Moments later, they dragged the unconscious Humphrey and threw him before Vanessa.

At the same time, the driver who had helped her was bound inside the car as it was slowly sliding toward a cliff's edge.

Vanessa gasped, immediately bowing her head to Kenneth. "Mr. Conley, this was all my doing. I forced the driver to help me. Please, let him go!"

Kenneth traced her jawline with a slender finger, a cold, humorless smile playing on his lips. "The driver and Humphrey—only one walks away alive. Your choice."

Her breath caught, despair washing over her.

The driver had helped her once before, and agreeing to help her this time had been an enormous risk. But...

"Vanessa, you're running out of time. The car is about to go over the edge," Kenneth reminded her, his voice cool.

Just then, the hound he had brought began savaging Humphrey. Within seconds, the ground was stained with blood.

"No!" Vanessa grabbed Kenneth's arm, pleading in utter misery. "Please! Let Humphrey go! I know I was wrong! I'm begging you, Mr. Conley... You can punish me however you want!"

Brittany stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. "Sure. You crippled Eugene's hand. An eye for an eye—how does that sound?"

Vanessa's eyes burned crimson as she stared at Kenneth.

He placed a calming hand on Brittany's shoulder, his gaze devoid of any warmth. "Don't be upset. I give you my word—she will pay for what she did to Eugene."

In that instant, the hound tore into Humphrey with renewed ferocity, ripping chunks of flesh from his body.

Determined not to distress Vanessa, he gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a single cry.

Watching him, Vanessa suddenly seized a heavy stone and smashed it against her own hand.

A sickening crunch echoed through the air.

She heard the distinct sound of her own bones breaking. Under the overwhelming pain, the veins on her forehead bulged, and cold sweat drenched her in an instant.

She collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. "There. I've paid the price. Now, will you let them both go?"

To her shock, Kenneth frowned, his displeasure evident. "I own you—your body, your life. How dare you damage what's mine without my permission?"

Panic seized her. In utter despair, she no longer knew what to do.

"Mr. Conley! He bit his tongue!" A sudden shout cut through the chaos.

Crimson blood gushed from Humphrey's mouth as he lay motionless on the ground.

"Humphrey! No!"

Vanessa screamed hysterically, but Kenneth's men held her firmly in place, rendering her powerless.

At the same time, the car plunged over the cliff, the sound of crushing metal echoing in the air.

Moments later, everything fell into an eerie silence.

Vanessa had never known such soul-shattering pain. She spat out a mouthful of blood and slumped weakly to the ground.

Kenneth lifted her chin, his tone detached. "Remember—this is the price of disobedience. Don't make the same mistake again in the future."

The future? There would be no future...

Vanessa let out a weak laugh. She hated herself for ever loving Kenneth.

And she regretted, with every fiber of her being, failing to protect Humphrey...

As Kenneth turned to leave, Brittany lingered.

She stomped hard on Vanessa's already shattered hand, grinding her heel mercilessly. "You think it's over?" she sneered.

With the last of her strength, Vanessa lifted her head—only to see a pack of vicious dogs devouring what remained of Humphrey's body.

"Consider it my act of charity," Brittany said coldly, "feeding him to the dogs."

Tears streamed uncontrollably down Vanessa's face. She couldn't even preserve the wholeness of his body...

Vanessa drifted in and out of consciousness for what felt like an eternity. When she finally awoke, she found herself locked in a sealed room.

It was pitch-black and airtight, the one Kenneth used for detaining those who crossed him.

Her mind flashed to the innocent driver, bound and sent over the cliff because of her.

Then it drifted back to Humphrey, who had bitten his own tongue to avoid burdening her further, his body torn apart.

"I'm sorry... It's all my fault... You died because of me," she whispered, clutching the thin bedsheet until her fingers trembled.

Fragmented memories surfaced in her mind in an instant.

The time she shielded Kenneth through a hailstorm of bullets, he growled, "You come back alive. Protect yourself—that's an order."

The moment she stepped in front of a blade for him, and his voice, low and tense, warned from behind, "You don't die unless I allow it."

And when she lay bleeding out, he held her, calling her name again and again, "Live. Just live, and I'll give you anything."

Those memories felt so distant they might have belonged to another lifetime. The man she'd valued more than her own life for eight years, was he truly the same Kenneth Conley who now tormented her?

How could he have changed so much? Was it simply because Brittany hadn't been in the picture then?

At the thought of Brittany, Vanessa fiercely wiped her tears away.

Humphrey and the driver had died because of Brittany.

She would kill Brittany to avenge them.

Driven by cold resolve, Vanessa began to eat again, forcing herself to recover. But her left hand remained nearly useless.

She had shattered it with that stone, a desperate bargain for Humphrey's safety. But it had been for nothing.

She had long lost track of time when the lock finally turned.

Light flooded the sealed room for the first time since her confinement, and Kenneth stepped inside.

He fed her medicine himself and even cleaned and bandaged her wounds.

For a disorienting moment, she felt she was back in the no-man's-land—when she and Kenneth had only each other, hunted and desperate.

"If you had just behaved, none of this would have been necessary," Kenneth said, his voice unusually soft as he held her damaged wrist. "But it doesn't matter now. Stay by my side, be good, and I'll make sure your hand is properly treated."

Despite his careful touch, every movement sent sharp jolts of pain through her arm. Cold sweat gathered at her temples.

"Mr. Conley," she said, "may I go to a hospital to have my hand treated? If it doesn't recover well, I'm worried I won't be able to protect you properly in the future."

Kenneth looked at her and sighed, "I'll have someone take you there the day after tomorrow. Just promise me you'll behave."

She nodded numbly.

The day she left the sealed room, she dressed in black and was ushered into a car.

Meanwhile, Kenneth and Brittany's engagement party was in full swing at a cliffside hotel.

The moment Vanessa got out of the car, she acted. A single, precise punch sent the man guarding her crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

Then, she hurried into the hotel.

In the dressing room, Brittany was throwing a fit. "I don't like this makeup! What kind of amateur did you hire? Find me someone else!"

When no one responded, she spun around furiously and froze at the sight of Vanessa.

Then, a derisive laugh escaped her. "You? I thought you'd have killed yourself by now, unable to stand the grief after losing your useless loser brother."

Vanessa didn't speak. She stripped the belt from her waist, wrapped it around Brittany's neck, and pulled with all her strength.

Then she snatched a dinner knife from a nearby table and drove it deep into Brittany's chest.

Brittany's scream pierced the air. Within seconds, Kenneth burst into the room with his guards. His gaze sharpened when he saw Vanessa.

He charged forward, seizing her injured left hand and forcing her to release her grip. White-hot pain shot through her, but with her other hand, she gripped Brittany's wrist and slammed Brittany to the floor.

Kenneth stood as a shield in front of Brittany, blocking Vanessa's frantic attack.

Just as Vanessa was about to tighten the belt to snap Brittany's neck, a stinging, final pain erupted from her back.

Her body stiffened, then fell backward.

Kenneth had stabbed a knife into her body without mercy.

It was the knife she had given him for self-protection in critical moments.

And now, he had used it to deliver her final blow.

She had never felt a bitterness so profound.

In the face of life and death, even though she had saved Kenneth's life countless times, she was still nothing compared to Brittany.

The harsh reality hit her—Kenneth had never truly cared for her.

Kenneth anxiously scooped Brittany into his arms, frantically tending to her wound.

Watching him, Vanessa let out a cold sneer. So, this was how he was like when he loved someone?

How disgusting.

Under her dying gaze, he rushed out with Brittany in his arms. "Get the doctor!" he yelled.

Then he commanded his bodyguards, "Seize Vanessa!"

Amid the chaos, Vanessa climbed to her feet, flipped over the windowsill, and dashed toward the cliff with the last of her strength.

On the way here, she knew it was her end.

The moment she ran off the edge, she closed her eyes and smiled.

At least here, in death, she could be with Humphrey again.

"Goodbye, Kenneth," she muttered into the wind.

"I'll never, ever forgive you. Even after I'm dead."