Logan’s dissatisfaction seemed to turn into endless demands, especially when the night fell. It was as if he’d saved up all his anger for the dark hours.
Over the weekend, Madison suggested something that felt like a small escape. She asked Daphne to go with her to pick out a wedding dress.
Daphne knew she could only leave the house if Logan gave her permission, which he reluctantly did.
As they drove to the bridal shop, Madison sighed heavily, her voice soft and almost apologetic. “I’ve always been weak, you know? Never had many friends growing up. Logan worried I’d feel lonely, so he asked you to take care of me…”
Daphne stayed quiet, not sure what to say. Madison’s tone shifted, and she looked at her friend with sympathy. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve endured because of me.”
Daphne turned to her, a bit surprised by the sudden honesty.
Madison hesitated before speaking again. “I don’t know if you realize it, but… because of everything that happened, Logan hates you now.”
Of course, Daphne already knew.
The entire city believed the worst of her. That she'd cheated on Logan and dumped him caused the Ravenscroft Enterprise's collapse. And once Logan took over the company, the rumors only got worse. No man would want to take that kind of humiliation.
But what made it worse was that Logan was powerful—no one dared to speak against him. Everyone sided with him, leaving Daphne with the full weight of blame on her shoulders. She understood all that.
But hearing Madison say it out loud stung more than she expected.
Daphne had chosen this path for herself. She could deal with the accusations, the rumors, and the endless misunderstandings. But she didn’t want Madison to suffer for it.
Daphne decided that once her father recovered, she would apologize to Madison and leave Los Angeles for good.
After they left the bridal shop, Madison took Daphne out for milk tea, trying to lighten the mood.
Daphne took a couple of sips, but soon, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She barely had time to react before Madison, sitting across from her, slumped over the table, unconscious.
Confused and panicking, Daphne tried to call for help, but before she could get a word out, she too collapsed into darkness.
When Daphne woke up, she was no longer in the cozy café or on the street with Madison. Instead, she found herself in an abandoned warehouse. Her hands were bound, and her mouth was sealed shut with duct tape.
She could see Madison not far away, her body writhing with panic. The muffled sounds of her sobs echoed in the otherwise silent space.
A few moments later, three men walked into the warehouse. One of them, a blonde man, pulled out his phone and pointed it at Daphne.
Daphne could hear Logan’s cold voice coming through the speaker. “How much do you want?”
The blonde man smirked, clearly enjoying the situation. “Talking about money is so boring. But don’t say we’re not giving you face, Mr. Carmichael. You can save one of the two women.”
He grinned wider, his words sending a chill down Daphne’s spine. “The other one? Well, she stays with us. For... enjoyment.”
Daphne's heart dropped as the man continued. “Mr. Carmichael, we’ll give you ten seconds to decide. Ten…”
Before he could finish, Logan’s voice rang out, sharp and irritated.
“Release my fiancée!” He cut off the countdown like it was an inconvenience to him.
Daphne’s chest tightened. Of course, the answer came immediately, but it didn’t stop the hurt from seeping into her heart. She had hoped—no, maybe she had wanted—to believe Logan might hesitate for a second.
But the truth was brutal: Logan had never loved her.
To him, she was just a discarded toy.
Useless, easily replaced.
The men immediately released Madison, and despite the terrifying situation, Madison was eerily calm. Daphne saw her glance back as she was led out of the warehouse. She even seemed to smile, though Daphne couldn’t figure out if it was relief or something else.
The smile didn’t make Daphne feel better. But at least Madison was unharmed.
Then, the man with yellow hair turned his eyes back to Daphne, his gaze making her skin crawl. “No wonder Logan kept you around… you look delicious.”
Another man, slightly overweight and sleazy, rubbed his hands together in an almost predatory way.
“Let me taste her first,” he said with a sickening grin.
The third man, skinny and nerdy-looking, fiddled with a video camera, his eyes scanning the room. “
You guys go ahead,” he said, his voice cold and detached. “I’ll film it. The boss said not to miss a single detail.”
Daphne couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt like she was suffocating, trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. Despair washed over her, and she felt the weight of her helplessness. She didn’t dare to imagine the hell she was about to face.
And then the blonde man pulled out a syringe.
Daphne’s heart raced, her body going cold with fear. She struggled against her restraints, but it was no use. With a cruel, practiced motion, the man forced the syringe into her arm, injecting its contents into her.
The cold liquid spread through her veins, and Daphne’s mind fogged over.
At the critical moment, the warehouse door was kicked open with a thunderous crash.
