Chapter 3
At the abandoned factory in Southgate, Dorothy's earpiece crackled with instructions. "Dorothy, three hostiles at your two o'clock. Eliminate them."
Dorothy shook her head, forcing herself to focus. She adjusted the scope on her sniper rifle.
But the next second, a brutal kick landed on Dorothy's waist, and a knife pressed against her throat.
One of the thugs had gotten the jump on her. He barked, "Drop your weapon! Everyone, back off! Or don't blame me for what happens to this cop."
Suddenly, several more thugs burst out from behind her, and the tables turned in an instant.
"Let me go! You're kidnapping a government officer. That's an extra felony," Dorothy protested.
Another thug slammed his fist into her stomach, and her words dissolved into a strangled groan. "Too much talking. So what? I break the law all the time," he spat.
As one of her fellow officers tried to step forward, a thug kicked Dorothy hard in the chest. She kept spitting blood.
As the standoff dragged on and Dorothy felt her consciousness slipping away, the sound of a bullet tearing into flesh echoed right next to her ear.
She fell toward the ground, weightless. But instead of hitting the cold floor, she landed in a warm embrace.
"Dorothy!"
The sound of hurried footsteps filled the air as Scott's bodyguards and the police rushed in. The scene erupted into chaos as they quickly subdued the thugs.
Scott scooped her up in his arms. He was still shaky from the car accident, his steps uncertain, but the hand at her waist always made Dorothy feel safe.
Dorothy quietly took in his trembling eyelashes and the sharp bridge of his nose. Her emotions surged to the brink. 'Why does he always show up for me, even though his heart belongs to someone else? 'she thought.
"I rushed over because I was worried. I'll state to distance myself from you. It won't affect you," Scott said.
Dorothy hesitated, "I—"
The words "I want a divorce" caught in her throat, but before she could say them, a sharp female voice cut through the air like ice. "Scott! You ran out of the hospital and risked your life for her?!"
Dorothy looked up and met June's glare. Her eyes were blazing with fury, a stark contrast to Dorothy's quiet composure.
"Who is she?!" June's voice trembled, her whole body shaking with rage.
Scott said, "She's a friend—"
June's hand shot out and cracked across his cheek.
Scott's words and June's slap landed at the same moment. Dorothy heard the shocked gasps from everyone nearby.
A few seconds later, she felt herself being eased out of Scott's warm embrace and onto a waiting stretcher, the comfort vanishing as quickly as it had come.
Scott let out a soft laugh, took the hand June had struck him with, and jokingly blew on it. "Doesn't your hand hurt after a slap like that?"
Sporadic camera flashes lit up the scene. Dorothy's colleagues whispered among themselves, envious.
No one else would dare slap the head of the Bennett family in public. The boss of Northbridge and a stunning actress were such a power couple.
"Whoa, Dorothy? Are you crying? Does it hurt that badly?" her colleague asked.
Startled, Dorothy instinctively wiped her cheek with her right hand. "Yeah, it hurts like hell. Let's get to the hospital."
*****
The next day, Dorothy received a call from the bank.
"Ms. Reed, you can file for divorce from Mr. Bennett overseas, but here in the country, he has set up a trust fund for you.
"If you'd like, Mr. Bennett can transfer the trust directly into your name. If you prefer to waive it, you'll need to come to the bank in person."
Dorothy paused. She and Scott had been secretly married for three years, and she had never taken anything from him. She didn't see the point in taking the trust now either.
"Alright, I'll come by this afternoon," she replied.
The Bennett family had been a fixture in Northbridge for generations. It was the kind of old-money dynasty everyone knew.
As soon as Dorothy arrived at the bank, she was escorted straight to the VIP lounge.
Inside, display cases were filled with glittering jewelry sets. Blood-red rubies, serene sapphires, and exclusive designer diamonds were all laid out on display.
"What's all this?" Dorothy asked.
"I'm sorry. Mr. Bennett was here with some guests earlier this morning, and we haven't had a chance to put everything away yet. Please, have a seat. I'll get your trust documents right now," the staff member said.
Dorothy knew that he probably brought June along. After their blowup yesterday, he was likely here trying to win her back.
She didn't dwell on it and sat down to wait.
The staff member quickly placed a full set of documents in front of her. "Your trust fund totals thirty billion. And here's a letter he left for you."