Chapter 4

The stash Olivia handed over was worth hundreds of millions. Ethan just couldn't hold back and started bragging to his crew the second he got it.

But when he stepped out of the bathroom and saw Andrew standing right there at the doorway, he went as white as a sheet, his phone falling straight out of his hand onto the floor.

"You... you heard all that?" Ethan stammered, his voice trembling.

Andrew shot him a frosty glare and turned away without a word.

But Ethan's face changed in an instant. He hurried over, blocking Andrew's way.

"What, you gonna snitch to Olivia? You really think she'll take your word over mine?" Ethan scoffed, his bravado already starting to crack.

Andrew gripped his phone tightly. "If you're so sure she won't believe me, then what are you so scared of?"

Ethan shot a quick glance over Andrew's shoulder, then suddenly grabbed Andrew's hand and slapped himself hard across his own face—loud enough to echo down the hallway.

Before Andrew could process what was happening, Ethan reeled backward and crashed onto the floor, looking like he'd been hit by a truck.

He clutched his face, gazing up at Andrew with that classic poor-me look—full-on playing the victim.

"Andrew, I swear, there's nothing going on between me and Olivia," Ethan sputtered. "She just thought I hadn't seen anything nice in my life, so she gave me a few gifts out of pity."

"I know you're the rich golden boy, and I'm nothing compared to you. Don't be mad, okay? Once we're home, I'll hand everything back. I won't do this ever again," he begged, looking up at Andrew with desperate, groveling eyes.

Just then, Olivia's anxious voice cut through the tension from behind. "Ethan."

She rushed over and knocked Andrew out of the way, not caring who she hit.

Andrew was completely blindsided—his hip slammed into the edge of the sink, leaving him pale as a ghost.

Looking up, he saw Olivia, totally unfazed by the mess Ethan had gotten himself into, scrambling to help him up, her face full of worry.

Ethan tried to wriggle free, playing up the act. "Olivia, let go. Don't give Andrew any wrong ideas."

Olivia turned to Andrew with a fierce, almost venomous glare.

"Andrew, just because you're pissed off doesn't mean you can go around throwing punches. Who do you think you are?" she hissed, voice dripping with contempt.

Andrew clutched his side, pale as a sheet, looking utterly defeated.

"I... I didn't..." he murmured, his voice barely holding together, head bowed in disbelief.

Olivia smirked coldly, eyes narrowed. "Save it. I saw everything myself. Are you seriously going to stand there and act innocent?"

Andrew's lips moved, trying to get the words out, but once he saw her eyes—cold as winter—any strength to defend himself drained right out of him.

He knew no matter what he said, she just wouldn't believe him.

Olivia clung to Ethan's hand and whisked him away, her voice soft and gentle. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital."

Ethan snuggled against her side, then shot Andrew a smug, sideways grin and mouthed, "Game over."

Andrew gritted his teeth and forced himself down the stairs, step by painful step—he just wanted to hail a cab and get to the hospital, maybe get his side checked out, see what the damage was.

But before he could leave, two men suddenly darted at him from nowhere.

A wet cloth slammed over his mouth and nose before he had time to scream. Panic exploded in his chest—his breath turned wild, everything spun, and in a flash, darkness swallowed him as his knees buckled and he hit the floor.

When Andrew finally came to, he realized he'd been dumped in some unfamiliar room, and he had no clue how he got there.

His hands and feet were tied tightly, slumped helplessly on the floor.

One guy was aiming his phone right at him, recording every embarrassing second.

Another guy stepped up and landed a hard slap right across Andrew's face.

The sting of the slap burned across his face, and Andrew hit the floor hard. Before he could even catch his breath, the guy grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up, rough and merciless.

Andrew forced himself to look up at them, his vision swimming.

"Who... who are you people?" he managed to choke out, voice trembling.

The guy gave a cold, ruthless laugh. "Mr. Johnson, you've only got yourself to blame. You crossed the line with someone you never should have tangled with."

Andrew's mind flashed back to Ethan's smug grin as he left.

Who else could be behind this?

As soon as the words left the guy's mouth, he swung again, smashing his hand across Andrew's face before Andrew could even flinch.

The blows just kept coming, leaving Andrew reeling and so messed up he couldn't even get a single word out.

His throat tasted like iron. He doubled over and hacked up a mouthful of blood. The world kept spinning out of control as he struggled just to stay awake.

Just when Andrew thought the torture was finally over, the guy who'd been hitting him suddenly clamped down on his right hand with a bone-crushing grip.

A wave of dread washed over Andrew, and the next second, he heard a sickening crack.

"Ah!" Andrew screamed.

His right hand was broken—shattered by brute force.

He couldn't hold back a blood-curdling scream. His vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing in agony.

Just as consciousness was slipping away, Andrew heard the guy speaking respectfully into his phone.

"Ms. Lawrence, the guy who hurt Mr. Parker has been dealt with," the man said.

On the other end, Andrew heard a voice he knew all too well.

"Good. Now get him to the hospital," Olivia replied.

Tears slipped silently down Andrew's face. So... it was her. It was his wife. It was the woman he gave his whole heart to...