Chapter 4
Scott gently stroked Victoria's head and typed a message on his phone: [There's an emergency at the company. I'll be back later to keep you company. Be good.]
Just as he was about to leave, he seemed to remember something and turned back.
Scott took a pill out of his pocket and handed it to Victoria.
The moment Victoria saw the pill, her eyes widened in shock. This was the pill Scott had given her, the one that had taken her hearing away.
She still remembered how, back when she lost her hearing, she'd clung to Scott, breaking down in tears, crying that she'd never be able to compose piano music again.
Scott's eyes were red too as he typed out a message to comfort her: [It's okay. To me, you're already the best pianist in the world.]
The next day, Scott brought her this pill, saying it was a medicine specially made to cure her deafness, crafted by a friend from overseas just for her.
He told her that as long as she took it on time, she'd definitely get better.
Back then, Victoria was really touched.
She'd always thought this pill was a treat from love, never realizing it was actually deadly poison that would destroy her.
If she hadn't caught a cold a few days ago and, worried about mixing medicines, secretly stopped taking the pill for a while, she might still be lost in the beautiful cage Scott had crafted for her.
She might still be lost in the beautiful cage Scott had crafted for her.
Victoria looked at Scott and asked, "Do I really have to take this?"
Scott ruffled her hair and typed: [Just be good, okay? It's for your own good.]
'For my own good?' Victoria thought bitterly.
She used to be a genius pianist. Did he even realize what losing her hearing truly meant for someone like her?
For three whole years, she hadn't even laid a finger on the piano, hadn't written a single melody.
For three whole years, she'd devoted herself entirely to Scott, becoming a housewife, but no matter what she did, she couldn't get even a hint of real affection from him.
Victoria looked at Scott, and in that moment, the last bit of love she had for him was snuffed out in a heartbeat.
With red eyes, Victoria took the pill from Scott, pretended to swallow it, and, without him noticing, hid it up her sleeve.
Scott smiled and typed: [Good girl.]
Victoria watched as Scott's figure disappeared down the hallway, then glanced at her phone.
She slept through the entire day, barely stirring.
Just one more day, and Romeo would come to take her away from all this.
After tomorrow, she and Scott would be completely done. No more ties, no more anything.
As soon as Scott left, his buddies started scheming about how they were going to "take care" of Victoria.
"Hey, didn't you guys think Scott was acting weird just now? He actually felt bad for that woman. You don't think he's really falling for her, do you? What about Katie?" one of them said.
"No way. Didn't Scott just say he only loves Katie? But just to be safe, we need to make sure that never happens," another replied.
"Guys, let's mess her up right here today. Once she's tainted, Scott will be totally disgusted with her!" one of them sneered.
"Man, you've got a wicked mind. Watching her flirt with Scott all day, I've been dying to get a taste myself," another guy snickered.
Their gazes toward Victoria grew nastier by the second.
Victoria sensed the danger and quickly made an excuse, "I... I need to go to the bathroom."
Just as she struggled to her feet, one of the guys blocked her path. "Where are you headed? Need some company?"
He pretended to help her, but started groping her shamelessly.
Victoria's face went pale. "What the hell are you doing? Get your hands off me! Don't touch me!"
Seeing her furious reaction, the guys just burst out laughing.
He threw her onto the bed and pinned her down, locking her wrists above her head.
Victoria struggled desperately, but couldn't break free. She screamed in despair, "Let me go!"
"Oh, come on. You're always flaunting yourself around Scott. Why shouldn't I get a turn? If you do a good job pleasing me, maybe when Scott finally tosses you aside, I'll be the one to show you some real attention," one of the guys jeered.
"What's the point in talking? Did you forget? She's deaf!" another guy mocked.
That line set off another round of laughter from the group.
The man on top of her kept ripping at Victoria's clothes, while she cried out desperately for help.
Just as Victoria was drowning in despair, a furious voice thundered from the doorway, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"S... Scott? Why are you back?" one of the guys stuttered in shock.
Scott yanked the guy off Victoria and slammed him to the floor, then cradled Victoria in his arms, murmuring gently, "It's okay. I'm here now."
Realizing Victoria couldn't hear him, he hugged her even tighter, kept patting her back, trying to comfort her and make her feel safe.
Scott glared at the group, his voice booming with fury. "I told you to watch her, and you try to defile her? You actually dare to touch my woman? Who the hell do you think you are?"
The guys were so freaked out by Scott that nobody dared to say a word. The one sprawled on the floor was quick to retort, "Your woman? Scott, don't kid yourself. Your only woman is Katie. That bitch in the bed? She's just a tool you're using to help Katie get her memory back."