Hailey's POV
"Caden, I really didn't mean to hurt Hailey. I'm just clumsy because I'm pregnant. It was your wife who bumped into me. I was even trying to avoid her."
Veronica's voice was sickly sweet.
The sharp twist of pain in my chest was almost physical, but I couldn't look away. Her smug little smile, the satisfaction in her eyes, burned me like fire.
She softened her voice, trying to play the innocent victim. "If Hailey still wants to blame me, I'll kneel to her."
A sick feeling crawled up my throat.
"Veronica!" Caden snapped, pulling her back as though she were some fragile thing.
His eyes were full of pity for her. "It's not your fault."
He turned to me then, his expression hardening. He grabbed my arm and, without a sound, forced me to kneel before her.
"It's this bitch's fault," Caden muttered, dragging Veronica's hand and slapping me across the face.
Her hand, still wearing the wedding ring I used to wear, scraped across my skin, its sharp edge cutting deep.
Blood pooled in my mouth as I tasted the salt of my pain.
"It's all her fault for making you like this. Hit her back," Caden spat, his voice full of rage.
Veronica hesitated, pulling her hand back slightly, unsure of herself.
"Is this really okay?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Caden grinned at her, egging her on like a predator savoring its kill. "Come on, be brave. You're so gentle. How can you give me a strong baby if you're like this? Let me give you some courage. Just slap her. One slap and I'll buy you a Maserati. If you make her bleed, I'll get you a villa."
"Really?" Veronica's eyes lit up with excitement as she raised her hand, ready to strike me.
I stumbled out of the way, and Veronica nearly twisted her waist in the process.
Caden's expression darkened immediately. He stepped forward and kicked my leg with brutal force, snapping the bone with a sickening crack.
"No! Please, no!" I screamed in agony, the pain blurring everything around me.
"Now she won't be able to avoid it. Just hit her," Caden said, his voice chillingly composed.
I lay there, crushed by pain, hearing Veronica mentally count the money in her head. The buzzing in my ears drowned out everything else as the world turned black and white.
When I finally collapsed to the floor, Caden, looking heartbroken, of all things, embraced Veronica and blew gently on her palm.
"Good girl. Does your hand hurt? Let me blow on it for you. You’re such a brave girl," he said affectionately. "I’ll take you to Sotheby’s. We’ll buy all the diamonds—or the whole auction house if you want. Whatever you want, it’s yours."
Veronica giggled at me, her voice dripping with mockery. "What about Hailey?"
Caden's eyes flicked at me, and something cold seemed to settle in his expression.
He walked over to me, slow and deliberate, and said, "You want to leave me, right? I'll give you a chance."
I could feel the cold sweat dripping down my back as I forced out, "What are you going to do?"
He chuckled darkly, the sound almost maddening in its cruelty. "Back then, the most beautiful woman in Riverford must have been worth something, right? I should be able to auction you off at Sotheby's, don't you think?"
"You're insane!" I gasped, my breath coming in ragged gasps as the pain in my leg sent waves of dizziness through my head.
Ignoring me, he quickly had someone prepare a contract to auction me off and throw it in front of me.
I recoiled, shaking my head, refusing to sign, no matter how much he pressured me.
Caden sneered, clearly enjoying my resistance. "Not going to sign, huh?"
With another wave of his hand, someone stumbled into the room and knelt in front of me.
My eyes widened in shock.
It was James. He was the same James who had given me his coat at the winery that day. He had been Caden's best friend for years, even bringing his parents to witness our wedding.
But now, he was on his knees, covered in blood, his clothes torn, his dignity shattered.
"Are you crazy?" I screamed at Caden. "He's your childhood friend! How can you do this to him?"
Caden grinned, his smile sickening, like a devil enjoying my pain. "Why? Are you feeling sorry for him? The number one beauty in Riverford is quite the catch, huh? Not only did you seduce your stepbrother, but you also seduced my friend. He stood up for my wife, and I was so angry I had to punish him."
James was sobbing uncontrollably, his forehead bruised and battered from repeatedly banging it against the floor. "Hailey, I beg you, no matter what Caden says, please agree with it. My family's gone bankrupt, and my parents are stuck at a construction site. If you don't agree, Caden will have them buried alive with cement. Please, Hailey, I can't live without them."
