Chapter 3

I couldn't fight off the bewitchment. With trembling hands, I grabbed the fruit knife from the table and aimed its blade at my left wrist.

"Gina!" The lounge door burst open.

Jeff stormed in and snatched the fruit knife from my hand.

"What are you doing, Gina?" Jeff's voice shook.

His voice was trembling, if I heard it right.

I gave a bitter smile, thinking that Jeff really knew how to put on a show.

I didn't want to keep playing this game with him anymore.

If everyone thought I was the one who killed Elvira, then maybe I should just pay for it with my own life.

And before I knew it, I said it out loud.

But Jeff cut me off, his voice urgent.

He said, "Gina, I believe you. I really do.

"I'll find out the truth about Elvira. Please, trust me too, okay?"

Jeff pulled me into a tight embrace.

Because of that, I could clearly see the five people standing behind Jeff.

Fear made my whole body go stiff, and even my teeth were chattering.

"No..." It took me a long time before I finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

I said, "Jeff, why can't you just let me go?

"Why did you have to bring those five people here?

"I was wrong, please, just make them leave, Jeff. I'm begging you..."

All the noise over here caught people's attention.

The guests, all dressed to the nines and holding their wine glasses, gathered at the doorway, just watching for entertainment.

And those five thugs, the same ones Jeff had brought in to mess with me, were standing brazenly in the crowd, smirking at me right in front of everyone.

No one helped me.

Not a single person even tried to make them leave.

Even Jeff dropped the act, just staring at me with this weird, unreadable look on his face.

I had no idea how I even made it home.

All I knew was, when I woke up, I was already in Jeff's arms.

"Gina, do you want to sleep a bit longer? I'll be here with you all day," Jeff offered gently.

But right as he finished, his phone suddenly started ringing, the ringtone blaring out of nowhere.

I had no idea what the caller said, but Jeff let go of me and left without a second glance.

I jumped into a cab and followed after him, watching as the scenery outside grew more and more familiar the closer we got.

"Hey, we're here," the driver said.

His words snapped me out of my daze.

When I looked up at the garden villa in front of me, I realized, I'd somehow ended up at the Currey estate.

The five thugs Jeff brought in to mess with me were all his doing, and his so-called fallout with the Currey family was just a show for me.

Jeff going home was nothing out of the ordinary.

They were the ones who truly belonged together.

And to everyone in the Currey family, I was the murderer who killed Elvira.

I didn't want to see any of this anymore. I just wanted the driver to turn around and get me out of here.

But the next moment, I suddenly heard Sophie Currey's voice coming from the garden.

She said, "Jeff, since hypnotizing her isn't working, stop wasting your time.

"Gina is already dirty. Just hand her over to those thugs again and let them do whatever they want with her. That'll settle everything."