Chapter 1

The year Samuel Hampton and I severed all ties, Samuel personally broke my leg for his beloved woman, Eliza Kuhn.

Lying in the hospital bed, I smiled as I bribed every media outlet, making sure Eliza's reputation was destroyed overnight.

Everyone bet Samuel would make sure I died a miserable death. But in the end, he just kicked me out, his eyes cold as ice as he said, "A venomous woman like you isn't worthy of being her servant. Get lost."

I left with nothing and never looked back.

Five years later, I returned with billions of assets and ran into him at a party.

Eliza threw red wine all over me. "What, the stray dog who got kicked out back then thinks she belongs at a place like this now?"

I smiled, poured a whole bottle of liquor over her head, and whispered in her ear, "Five years, and Samuel still hasn't taught you any manners? Guess I'll have to show you what real rules are."

Eliza's scream cut through the fake peace of the party like a knife.

The girls around her rushed in, circling her like loyal guard dogs.

"Are you insane? Do you have any idea who she is?"

"How dare you mess with Mr. Hampton's favorite? That's begging for trouble."

The loudest girl jabbed her finger right at my face. "Listen up, she's about to be the wife of the Hampton Group CEO. Cross her, and Mr. Hampton will erase you from existence."

Eliza clutched her wine-soaked face, a wreck, but her eyes were pure poison. "Rachel, five years ago, I showed mercy and convinced Sam to spare you.

"You're a dog the Hampton family threw out. I can't believe you'd have the nerve to come crawling back?"

Seeing her still barking like five years ago cracked me up.

Samuel really pampered her so much all these years that she forgot that five years ago, all those glowing press releases and her perfect girl image vanished overnight, and how she became a media darling turned public enemy.

Too bad I was never the saintly kind, not five years ago, and less so now.

I placed the bottle down slowly, amber liquor still dripping from its mouth. "Mercy? Kindness?"

I walked toward her step by step, my heels clicking against the polished marble floor, sharp and clean, like a countdown for her.

I said, "You mean the time you cried in front of me, begging me not to release the photos you'd paid the paparazzi to take of me?"

I locked eyes with her, watching her eyes widen.

Then I whispered in her ear, "Or are you meaning the time you clung to Samuel's leg, naming him the father of the baby you are carrying, only for me to slap you in the face with a paternity test?"

"Rachel, Shut up." Eliza howled, hysterical, like a cat with its tail crushed.

Suddenly, a large, veined hand shot out from behind and gripped my wrist.

He squeezed so hard that it felt like he was about to break my bones.

Then, right beside my ear, came that voice, etched on my soul, unheard for five years, tormenting me in every midnight dream.

"Rachel, it has been five years." Samuel's voice was colder than ice, like something straight out of hell. "You still haven't learned how to behave, have you?"

He moved to shield Eliza behind him, exactly how he did in my memories.

Eliza immediately switched to her teary, weak act, leaning into his arms. "Sam, I'm scared. She's trying to hurt me as soon as she comes back."

For a second, time folded on itself.

Five years ago, when he broke my leg for this woman, she hid behind him the very same way, all innocent and helpless.

I looked at Samuel's handsome, icy face and laughed.

I twisted my wrist hard and ran my nails deep across the back of his hand.

He loosened his grip with a jolt of pain. Right then, I swung around and slapped hard Eliza across the face.

The slap echoed, and the whole hall froze.

"Samuel." Facing his murderous glare, I only smiled wider. "It has been five years, and your mutt still can't remember her lesson. Guess I wasn't nearly harsh enough back then."

The whole place went dead silent.

Every eye in the room was glued to us, shock, disbelief, and a wicked delight at the drama.

"Who is that woman? Is she nuts? She actually slapped Mr. Hampton's girl."

"Wait, I think I remember. Wasn't there a Rachel with Mr. Hampton five years ago? She got thrown out, right?"

"That's her? I heard she did all kinds of dirty tricks to climb into the Hampton family. In the end, she pissed off Mr. Hampton, got her leg broken, and was tossed out."

"Look at Mr. Hampton's face. Yikes, she's done for."

Samuel pulled Eliza into his arms.

Her face was already streaked with five red finger marks, and she was sobbing as if her world had ended. "Sam, look at her. She hit me right in front of you. You have to stand up for me."

Samuel didn't spare her a glance. His deep eyes were locked on me, like he wanted to tear me apart. "Rachel, whatever was between us ended five years ago.

"I thought you'd at least have enough self-awareness to never show your face to me again."

He started walking toward me, his presence so suffocating that it felt like the air itself was pressing down on me. "I don't care what you did these past five years, or how you managed to wangle your way into this circle.

"But since you dared to touch her, you're going to pay."

His eyes were icy, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, apologize to her."

I almost burst out laughing. "Samuel, did you forget? Five years ago, even when you broke my leg and I was stuck in that hospital bed, I never apologized to you.

"What makes you think I'd do it to her now, after all this time?"

I pointed at Eliza, still bawling behind him. "Or do you really think that precious chick you're protecting is worth my apology?"