Chapter 4

Emily knelt on the floor, trembling from pain, her bloodshot eyes fixed straight ahead. She screamed, "Alexander, she ruined Lily's painting first—"

Alexander cut her off with a cold, sharp, "Enough!"

"Stop making excuses. After everything you've been through these last few days, you still can't remember what I told you? I'm going to make sure you never forget tonight. It'll be carved into your bones," he threatened.

He swept his icy gaze across the room. "If each of you gives Emily a slap today, I'll assign each of you a project. No strings attached. But if anyone chickens out, don't come running to me when I get ruthless."

Fear constricted Emily's pupils. Before she could react, bodyguards slammed her to the floor and held her down so she couldn't move.

Sophie sobbed softly in Alexander's arms. "Mr. Grant, maybe we should just forget it. Emily can't handle this," she said, voice gentle.

Alexander's expression softened instantly as he reassured her, "She did this to herself. Who told her to bully my darling?"

Sophie pouted and playfully punched him. "I'm not—"

Alexander chuckled, ruffled her hair, then turned cold and surveyed the crowd. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

At his command, people rushed forward, jostling one another to be the first. Hands rose and slammed into Emily's face.

The strikes kept coming, growing bolder with each blow. Voices sneered as they hit her.

"A hostess like you actually thinks you can climb the social ladder?"

"She never even went to university. She's just a country girl. Does she really think she belongs? Ms. Lane is the real deal. She even got into grad school!"

"Back when you were a hostess, you had my husband so obsessed he couldn't think straight. My mother-in-law pointed her finger and blamed me for not keeping my man in line!

"I thought marrying Alexander meant I'd never get my revenge. Look at you now, you're in my hands. I'm going to beat you to death, you little vixen!"

Each time they called her a hostess, shameful memories flooded Emily.

After she married Alexander, she remembered a shopping trip when a man shouted "hostess" at her; Alexander had had that man's legs broken on the spot.

But now it was different.

Through blurred vision, she watched Alexander tenderly stroke Sophie's cheek and kiss the corner of her mouth.

A bitter chuckle escaped Emily.

Time blurred. By the last slap, Emily was numb; pain washed over her until she collapsed and consciousness began to slip away.

Alexander's voice, cold and precise, cut through the haze, "Douse her with water and keep it up. We'll stop only when she knows she messed up."

But in the very next instant, his voice dripped with honey. "Sophie, didn't you say you love the ocean? I'll arrange a private birthday celebration just for us out on the water."

A single tear slid down Emily's cheek as darkness closed in.

Suddenly, searing pain exploded across her back, and she screamed.

A thin wisp of smoke rose from her skin.

People stepped back, stunned.

"It's sulfuric acid!" someone shouted.

The same faces that had eagerly slapped her now twisted with shock and fear; a few even looked faintly remorseful.

"Oh my goodness, Mr. Grant is way too hardcore. They were married, and he literally poured acid on her to wake her up!"

"This is savage. No one would treat an animal this way."

"Figures. Once a guy gets a new girl, he tosses the old one aside."

They whispered and gossiped while Emily laughed and sobbed at the same time, tears and pain mixing on her face. The burning, bone-deep pain dragged her back into darkness.

*****

"The burn covers about a third of her back. Skin grafting is going to be extremely difficult," the doctor said.

Hearing the doctor's voice, Emily opened her eyes slowly and saw Alexander standing at her bedside, talking to someone.

He turned when he noticed she was awake, eyes red, and hurried to take her hand. "Hey, Darling. Does it still hurt?"

Emily shoved his hand away. "Get lost."

Alexander assumed she was throwing a tantrum and tried to explain in an even tone, "Darling, I never told anyone to use acid on you. They messed up."

Emily laughed harshly. "Like they'd dare do anything without your say-so? Alexander, don't stand here pretending you care. It's sickening."

He pressed his lips together, about to speak, when a bodyguard burst in, panic on his face. "Mr. Grant, bad news, Ms. Lane just got splashed with acid!"

Alexander's eyes widened in alarm. He dropped Emily's hand and bolted out of the room.

Emily watched him go and snorted. She tossed back the blanket and pushed herself to her feet. Alexander returned in a rush and, without warning, landed a brutal slap across her face.

"Emily!" His voice was sharp, venomous. "Sophie mistook the acid for water in the bathroom, the bodyguard grabbed the wrong bottle, and it splashed you by accident. But are you really that twisted that you'd send someone after her with acid so she'd be disfigured?"

Emily's head snapped from the slap. She looked up at him, eyes icy and level. "Alexander, are you dumb? I literally just woke up," she shot back.

"Still mouthing off, huh?" His tone chilled her. "Bring them in."