"Biggest regret?" Lex let out a cold laugh. "Catherine, yesterday you tried to hurt my child. Today you destroyed Veronica's wedding dress. And now you're standing here telling me you regret ever meeting me? My patience has its limits."

"And breaking up with me?" He sneered. "That's a joke. Can you even survive without me? Besides, once you marry into the Astor family, who do you think is going to save you besides me? Who else would even care about you?

"If you keep this up, don't expect me to come and get you back."

With that, he pulled the tearful Veronica into his arms and softened his tone.

"Veronica, don't cry. Someone like her isn't worth getting upset over.

"I'll take you to a better bridal shop and have a one-of-a-kind wedding dress custom made for you."

Then he wrapped his arm around Veronica and walked off, leaving me standing there disheveled and alone.

After getting dressed, I stepped out of the bridal shop and realized just how middle of nowhere the place was.

There wasn't a single taxi in sight.

I pulled out my phone and called the family driver, but no one picked up. I tried using a ride-share app several times, but the location was so remote that no drivers accepted the request.

Finally, with shaking fingers, I dialed Lex's number.

The phone rang for a long time before he finally answered.

His impatient voice came through the speaker.

"So, you finally realized you were wrong? Calling to apologize?"

Swallowing my pride, I said, "It's too remote out here. I can't get a ride, and my phone's almost dead. Could you… come pick me up?"

"Oh? Now you're begging me?" He let out a mocking laugh. "Right now I'm—"

A soft, sweet voice suddenly cut him off.

"Lex, are we almost at the bridal shop? I can't wait to see your face when I'm in my wedding dress."

Lex's tone immediately turned harsh.

"Catherine, stay right there and think about what you've done. Maybe it'll teach you a lesson."

The call abruptly disconnected.

A moment later, my phone buzzed.

It was a text from Lex.

[Your sister still hasn't picked out her dress. I'm taking her to another shop first. Wait at the corner. I'll come get you later.]

I walked to the corner and waited… from noon until darkness swallowed the sky.

The bridal shop had long since closed.

My phone battery slowly drained away.

Right before it died completely, I mindlessly opened my social media feed.

At the top was a post Veronica had uploaded just moments ago.

In the photo, she and Lex stood on the deck of a luxury yacht, wrapped in each other's arms.

[Thank you, my love, for taking me out to spend the night at sea. Love you.]

The screen went black.

And with it, my world seemed to sink into endless darkness.

A man's promises really meant nothing.

Going by memory alone, I started walking toward a bus stop three miles away.

As I turned into a narrow alley to take a shortcut, three drunk men suddenly blocked my path.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" one of them slurred. "A pretty little thing all by herself."

"Dressed like that and walking alone at night… Were you waiting for us boys to come take good care of you?"

I spun around and ran.

A hand shot out and grabbed me.

The next second, I was slammed hard against an icy brick wall.

"Let go of me! Help! Someone help me!"

"Go ahead and scream!" one of them laughed. "This place is a dead zone. You could yell your head off and no one would hear you.

"Truth is, someone paid good money for a recording of us having our way with you. So stop fighting it and just cooperate."

Summoning every last ounce of strength, I swung a wooden stick at them and bolted toward the mouth of the alley.

Just as I was about to escape, someone grabbed me from behind and dragged me back.

The three men closed in around me.

Rip—

My coat was torn open with brutal force.

The freezing night air immediately hit my skin.

Tears spilled uncontrollably down my face.

My vision blurred.

One of those filthy hands reached for my chest.

And then—

A low, commanding voice echoed from the entrance of the alley.

"Let her go. Or I'll cut off your hands one finger at a time…"