By then, the photos had made their way through high society.
It wasn’t just the usual gossip anymore—it was a full-on spectacle, a public shaming.
But while others seemed to relish in her downfall, Madison was the one person who actually tried to offer some comfort. “Daphne, don’t let this get to you. I’ll talk to Logan. We’ll get all these photos taken down, and I’ll stop people from talking behind your back.”
Daphne gave a bitter smile. Madison meant well, but she didn’t realize that the one person who wanted to see Daphne suffer the most was the very man she was trying to protect her from—Logan.
That afternoon, Madison mentioned she had someone she wanted Daphne to meet. So, they headed out together to a café.
When they arrived, Daphne spotted Kyle sitting in a prime seat by the window, his hand waving in greeting. After their brief encounter at the party, they hadn’t had a chance to really talk.
They exchanged pleasantries briefly before Madison said she had to leave for something else.
“I’ll let you two catch up,” she said with a smile before heading out.
Once Madison was gone, Kyle didn’t waste any time. “Daphne, I know things are rough for you right now.”
The words hit hard. Daphne knew precisely what he was referring to—the photos. Kyle must have seen them too.
Shame washed over her, and her eyes started to sting with tears.
Was he disappointed in her?
“I’m sure you must have your reasons,” Kyle continued, his tone calm and understanding as if he could see right through her.
That did it. Daphne couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears spilled over, and she began to cry openly.
For the past two years, everyone had turned their back on her. Friends, family—everyone. They avoided her as if she were some kind of plague.
Even Madison, who had once been her closest friend, had distanced herself after the collapse of the Ravenscroft Enterprise.
Kyle was the only one who hadn’t turned away.
The only one who still believed in her.
...
An hour later, Daphne left the café, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Kyle offered to drive her home, but she declined.
She didn’t want him to know she was living with Logan now. She couldn’t let him see how much her life had crumbled.
As she walked back, her mind kept turning over Kyle’s offer.
Kyle had suggested she and her father leave the country. He said medical care abroad was far better than what was available here and promised he could arrange for a top medical team to treat her father.
He also told her that in a new place, with a fresh start, maybe things could get better. She could escape this city that had broken her.
It was tempting. So tempting.
But as she thought of one person in particular, she hesitated. Logan.
When Daphne arrived back at Belleview Manor, she was still lost in thought. But the moment she stepped inside, things took a sharp turn.
Without warning, she was roughly thrown onto the couch. The world spun, and her body hit the cushions with a thud. She barely had time to recover before she started frantically scanning the room.
Luckily, Madison wasn’t there.
“You still had the nerve to come back?” Logan’s voice was cold and laced with anger.
Before she could react, a stack of photos was thrown in her direction, scattering across the floor like confetti.
Logan’s face was twisted in fury. “Meeting with your ex? Do you think I’m dead?”
Daphne opened her mouth to explain, but Logan didn’t let her. Like a man possessed, he overpowered her.
In the living room of Belleview Manor, on the sofa—he violated her.
Her mouth was silenced. Her hands and feet were restrained.
The humiliation and helplessness gnawed at her, but what hurt more than anything was the crushing fear inside her.
The physical pain seemed to pale in comparison to the terror she felt, knowing that she was trapped.
When it was finally over, Daphne lay there on the verge of collapse. Logan’s cold voice broke through the silence, his words carrying a weight of finality.
“If this happens again, you can start planning your father’s funeral.”
The threat was clear, chilling.
After that, Kyle reached out a few more times, asking to meet with Daphne. But each time, she turned him down.
She hated herself for being so ungrateful, but she knew what Logan could do. She had seen his ruthlessness firsthand. When he said something, he always followed through.
She couldn’t risk it. Not while her father’s life was in Logan’s hands.
Daphne was effectively under house arrest at Belleview Manor. She lived there now, under the pretense of being a “maid.”
During the day, she kept Madison company to help alleviate her boredom. She also took on the cooking and housework. Though she wasn’t exceptionally skilled in the kitchen and often fumbled through chores, Madison didn’t seem to mind. She encouraged her often, even when things went wrong.
But then there was Logan.
He was nothing like Madison. He would scowl at her nearly every day, berating her for being useless. It seemed like he found endless reasons to criticize her, no matter how hard she tried.
The contrast between the two was jarring—Madison, kind and understanding, and Logan, cold and cruel. Daphne had never felt so stuck.
