In a panic, I bit down hard on his shoulder.
Julian shuddered from the pain and shoved me to the ground.
Blood dripped down his shoulder.
For a moment, I saw him as he'd been at eighteen.
The boy who'd rush in when I was being bullied, fighting until he was covered in blood.
Back then, Julian would have given his life for me.
How did we end up like this?
It didn't matter anymore. Misunderstandings, revenge—none of it.
Mom was gone. It was time to let go of the past.
All I wanted now was to escape this cage.
Before I could gather my thoughts, a hand clamped around my throat and yanked me up.
Julian's eyes were cold with rage.
"I give you an inch and you take a mile. Since you don't know what's good for you, get out!"
My clothes were torn to shreds. He shoved me out the door with nothing to cover myself.
I pounded on the door, my voice raw, begging him—but all I got was an icy snarl.
"I said get out. Stop bothering me!"
People filled the hallway.
Under their mocking stares, I clenched my jaw and walked away.
I wandered the streets in a daze, enduring every leering glance.
The early autumn air was cold, but not as cold as my heart.
I didn't snap back to reality until a group of thugs surrounded me.
No matter how desperately I tried to cover myself, there was no hiding my exposed body.
Their eyes crawled over me, naked with want.
I stumbled backward, but they grabbed my hair and dragged me back.
Hands groped every inch of me. One of them pulled me close and sank his teeth into my flesh.
He bit through skin. Blood ran down my body.
Struggling was useless. My screams only excited them more.
In that hopeless moment, I thought of when I first met Julian.
At eighteen, I was working three jobs to pay for my mother's medical bills.
One night, walking home late from a shift, a group of drunk men cornered me.
I was frozen with fear—until Julian charged in and fought them off.
They beat him bloody, but he still smiled at me.
The day I said yes to him, he knelt before me with such sincerity, swearing he'd never let anyone hurt me again.
Now, every wound I carried came from him.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. I closed my eyes and stopped fighting.
Then—tires screeched behind me.
Julian and his bodyguards rushed over. He kicked the man on top of me so hard the thug went flying.
"Get lost! Who gave you the guts to touch her!"
He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around me, his hands trembling.
I must have been hallucinating—I could have sworn I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes.
It vanished in an instant, replaced by his usual contempt.
"Doris, I really didn't misjudge you. You're exactly as cheap as I thought!"
"Seducing street trash just to get sympathy? Have you no shame?"
He let go. I crumpled to the ground.
A sneer curled his lips.
"Then again, someone who'd throw away years of love for five hundred thousand dollars—what shame could she possibly have?"
I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. I didn't say a word in my defense.
Back when we were together, Aileen had come to me many times.
Pressuring me to leave him, raising her offer each time.
Every single time, I refused without hesitation. I told her, word for word: I don't want your money. I only want Julian.
