"Let go!" I stomped down hard on Clayton's foot, but he barely flinched.

He stood there like an iron wall, tall and solid, his face completely unreadable as his dark eyes bore down on me. His silence was infuriating, but I knew that yelling, cursing, or even trying to physically fight him was useless.

I'd tried everything before—screaming, scratching, even pretending to faint—but nothing worked. Self-harm wouldn't get me anywhere either. Clayton had learned to predict my move, intercepting me with precision before I could slam my head into a wall, slit my wrist, or even bite down on my own tongue. There was no point trying to outmaneuver someone who could read me like a book.

From upstairs, Kai's voice echoed down the stairs. "Who's in the wine cellar? Is someone there?"

Shit. He was coming.

The sound of his footsteps grew closer, each step eating away at what little time I had left.

Desperation surged through me, leaving no room for hesitation. I threw myself into Clayton's chest, grabbing the front of his shirt and before he could react, I stood on tiptoe and crushed my lips against his.

"Get lost," I hissed when I pulled back, my voice low and vicious. "Unless you want Kai to catch us having an affair right here."

For the first time since I met him, Clayton's usually stone-cold face cracked. His eyes widened in sheer shock, the tips of his ears instantly burning red as the flush spread down his neck.

"You dumb mute," I sneered. "If you don't leave now, I'll tell Kai you seduced me—always flaunting your big chest and showing off those eight-pack abs to tempt me." I leaned in closer, my chest brushing against him through the thin fabric of my dress, the heat of my skin pressing into his.

Clayton's wide-eyed panic was almost comical. His face turned scarlet, so red it was almost painful to look at and he stumbled back with his hands raised in surrender. Without a word, he bolted from the cellar like a scared rabbit.

Kai's voice rang out from the hall. "What's going on, Clayton? Is someone down there?"

Clayton probably shook his head, because Kai didn't press the matter. His tone, however, grew sharper. "I told you to keep an eye on my wife. How could you leave your post without permission? Forget it. Just grab the gift I prepared for Rae from the wine cellar and then go wake Milena. We're taking the burgundy Rolls-Royce tonight—we're heading to Aurelian Crown Hotel."

While Kai barked his orders, I hurried to finish what I'd started. The aphrodisiac-laced Lafite was already inside the Château Latour bottle—all that was left was to reseal it. I carefully replaced the cork, sealed the top with a layer of wax and pressed the original stamp back into place. The bottle looked flawless, as though it had never been touched.

Clayton stepped back into the wine cellar, lingering awkwardly behind one of the racks as though hiding from me. He couldn't even look me in the eye.

I reached out and pinched his chin between my fingers, forcing him to face me. "For a mute, you're actually kind of handsome."

The way his long eyelashes trembled, like the delicate wings of a moth caught in a storm, made me laugh. So, that was his weakness—he couldn't handle teasing.

Flustered and thoroughly defeated, Clayton obediently picked up the gift basket containing the Château Latour and delivered it to Rae.

Later, at the hotel, Rae's delighted squeal was enough to make me nauseous. "Oh my! Kai, you're so sweet! You took time out of your busy schedule to come to my birthday party—and you even brought my favorite Château Latour!"

Kai's response was as lukewarm as ever. "Of course. But mostly, I came to keep your sister company."

These two hypocrites. They were putting on a whole act, pretending to be polite and distant in front of me. I bet they'd already slept together more times than I could count.

The sight of them acting so innocent made me sick. I stepped forward, snatched up the Château Latour and held it up. "I want a drink. Open it. Let's all have some right now."

Rae's smile stiffened for just a moment before she quickly covered it with a pout. She turned to Kai with wide, pitiful eyes. "Kai, this is your gift to me. A bottle like this costs hundreds of thousands..."

I didn't give her a chance to finish. "Don't be stingy. Let's all drink together."

Kai's gaze lingered on me, searching my face, before he turned to Rae. "Milly wants to drink. Let's drink with her. I'll buy you another one later."

With that, the bottle was uncorked and three glasses were poured—one for me, one for Kai and one for Rae.

Rae took a sip, her face lighting up with exaggerated delight. "This is amazing wine!"

But Kai's brow creased slightly. "This wine... doesn't taste like pure Château Latour."

My stomach clenched. I'd forgotten—Kai was practically a walking wine encyclopedia. If anyone could tell it had been mixed with Lafite, it was him. Worse, what if he could detect the aphrodisiac?

But after a moment of hesitation, Kai said nothing. Instead, he tipped back his glass and drank the whole thing in one go.

Rae was nearly finished with hers too. She glanced at me, frowning slightly. "Why aren't you drinking?"

I fumbled deliberately, pretending to lose my grip. The glass slipped from my hand, shattering into pieces on the floor.

"Oh no!"

Rae shrieked, leaping back as wine splattered her expensive dress. "Milena! You got my dress all wet! You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Sorry," I murmured, pressing a hand to my forehead. "I didn't sleep well last night. I'm feeling dizzy."

Rae's expression flickered briefly before she put on her signature fake smile. Looping her arm through mine, she cooed sweetly, "Perfect timing. I booked a room upstairs—room 8868. You should go up and get some rest, Sis."

The moment I stepped into room 8868, the drug in the wine began to take effect.

Rae clung to me like a snake, her limbs limp and trembling, her entire body burning up. "Kai... You're Kai, aren't you? Hold me, Kai... Hurry, take me..."

Her glassy eyes stared straight through me, her mind completely adrift in a haze of lust and confusion. She was so far gone she couldn't even tell who was in front of her anymore.

I shoved her onto the bed, her body hitting the mattress with a dull thud and turned to lock the door. The air in the room felt thick, humid with her ragged breaths, but I had no interest in watching the show that was about to unfold.

Out in the hallway, footsteps echoed, slow and deliberate. A group of men swaggered down the corridor toward me, their hair dyed in garish shades of green, purple and orange. Nose rings, earrings, chipped nails. Even from several feet away, I could smell the rank mix of sweat, alcohol and stale smoke clinging to their skin.

One of them let out a low whistle as they passed me, eyes raking up and down my body like I was a piece of meat on display. I didn't react. My gaze slid down to the key card one of them twirled between his fingers—room 8868.

So, these were Rae's special guests—the HIV-infected men she'd hired for her little scheme.

I stood there, watching silently as they approached the door. Behind it, Rae writhed helplessly, too far gone to even recognize her own reflection. In her drugged stupor, anyone who walked through that door would become Kai in her eyes.

What happened next was obvious. And it had nothing to do with me.

I hadn't bought the drugs, I hadn't booked the room and I most certainly hadn't invited those men. Rae had set the trap all by herself—now she would drown in it.

"Rae..."

Kai's voice suddenly rang out behind me, low and hoarse, startling me so badly my heart slammed into my ribs.

Damn it—why was he here now?

He staggered toward me, his footsteps uneven, his normally sharp gaze clouded with confusion and heat. The drug was hitting him too—his pupils were dilated, his face slightly flushed.

"What are you doing here..." His voice slurred as he reached out, brushing his fingers against my arm. "Are you... waiting for me?"

He was so out of it he couldn't even tell who I was—he thought I was Rae.

Originally, my plan had been simple: let Rae contract HIV from her hired men, then let her unknowingly pass it to Kai during one of their secret rendezvous. But now, looking at him swaying in front of me, a new idea sparked in my mind.

Why let Rae do the dirty work when I could punish him myself—right here, right now?

Without hesitation, I dragged him down the hall and booked another room. When the door clicked shut behind us, I hooked a finger into his tie and tugged, pulling him toward the bed.

He stumbled into me, his breath hot against my neck, the smell of wine and desire rolling off him in waves. "Rae... you smell so good..."

Revulsion churned in my stomach, but I didn't let it show. With all the force I could muster, I shoved him backward. "Kneel."

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Kai crumpled to the floor, his knees hitting the carpet with a muted thud. When he looked up at me, it was with a sickeningly eager smile. "Mmm... feisty. I like it."

I slapped him hard across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the room. His gold-rimmed glasses flew off, landing somewhere near the dresser. A vivid red handprint bloomed on his refined, elegant face.

To my disgust, his eyes darkened with pleasure, his lips parting in a low moan. "Baby... that's all you've got? Hit me harder..."

Bile rose in my throat. Had he and Rae been playing these twisted games behind my back? These two were even filthier than I'd imagined.

I slapped him again. And again. The sharp sounds filled the room, mingling with his ragged breaths and low, sick laughter.

When my palm ached from the impact, I switched to my fists, driving them into his face until streaks of blood marred his once-handsome features. But the bastard only grinned wider, his eyes gleaming with manic excitement. "Baby... you're incredible..."

Disgusting freak. Only a monster like him could rip his own son's kidneys out and hand them to the woman he loved without a trace of remorse.

The inferno of hatred inside me roared to life, burning through every ounce of restraint. My hands weren't enough—I needed more.

I kicked him, the sharp heel of my shoe digging into his thigh, his side, his stomach. Each impact drew another filthy moan from his lips.

"Oh... baby... your high heels... God... they feel amazing..."

I wanted to vomit.

Grabbing the nearest thing within reach—a charging cable coiled on the nightstand—I wrapped it around my hands and swung it down with all my strength, the thin wire leaving red welts across his chest and arms.

"You sick bastard!" My voice shook with rage, each word punctuated by another lash. "How dare you kill Leon?! Give me back my son!"

Kai writhed on the carpet like a maggot drenched in filth, every twitch of his body as grotesque as the man himself.

Outside, thunder cracked and a flash of lightning illuminated his twisted, exhilarated face. He was laughing—hoarse, breathless and utterly unrepentant. "Who? Leon? Hah! He served his purpose. His kidneys saved you, Baby..."

The words were gasoline poured directly onto the fire raging inside me. My hands trembled with fury as I lashed him harder, the charging cable snapping in half from the force. Without missing a beat, I grabbed a soaked towel from the bathroom and continued whipping him, the wet fabric smacking against his skin with a brutal crack.

Kai shrieked, then laughed, the sick sound ringing in my ears. "Leon had to die! Too bad I couldn't kill him myself—but I watched! I watched every second of his dissection! They cut out his kidney while he was still alive because, you know, a living donor's kidney is always the best!"

A searing pain twisted deep in my chest, sharp enough to steal my breath.

Leon—my precious son. Did they really cut him open while he was still breathing? How much agony did he suffer before his tiny body gave out?

Did he cry for me? Did he scream for his mother while they sliced him apart like a piece of meat?

The image alone shattered me. My vision blurred with tears and my grip on the towel grew so tight my knuckles ached. Hot tears streamed down my face, but the grief only fed the inferno inside me.

"Bastard!" My scream ripped through the room, raw and jagged. "Give me back my son's life!"

I struck him again and again until my arms felt like they would snap under the strain, then I wrapped the towel around his neck, twisting it tightly.

Only then did Kai's smug expression flicker into fear. His bloodshot eyes bulged, his tongue pushing between his lips as he gasped like a fish dragged onto dry land. "N-No... I can't... breathe... Stop..."

But I couldn't stop. Sanity had long slipped through my fingers, leaving only one relentless, burning desire: Kill him. Make him pay. Bury him with Leon.

Another crack of thunder roared outside, rattling the windows as rain pounded against the glass. The storm outside howled, drowning out Kai's choking gasps. Just as his eyes started rolling back, the door burst open with a loud bang.

Clayton stormed in, his heavy footsteps shaking the floor. He grabbed me, fingers pressing into pressure points on my wrist, forcing me to release my grip. My hands spasmed open, the towel falling uselessly to the floor.

"Don't you dare stop me!" My voice was ragged, my throat raw from screaming. "I want him dead!"

"Calm down. Please calm down, Ma'am." Clayton's deep voice was low but firm, his words cutting through the haze of fury like a knife. "Leon is still alive."

The world tilted. Everything—the storm, Kai's choking gasps, my own trembling breath—blurred into a dull hum.

Leon... still alive?

"Where is he? Where's Leon?" My words came out in a desperate rush, emotions crashing over me like a tidal wave—disbelief, hope, fear, joy. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst, but I forced myself to focus.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clayton kneel beside Kai, swiftly positioning him on his back and starting CPR with expert precision. His movements were fluid, practiced—too competent for the bumbling, harmless bodyguard I thought I knew.

This wasn't the Clayton I remembered.

The tall, simple-minded brute was gone. In his place stood someone else entirely—someone whose sharp, focused eyes gleamed with cold intelligence. His tightly fitted black clothes stretched over lean muscle, radiating quiet strength, his every movement controlled and efficient.

He wasn't just a bodyguard. He was a predator lying in wait.

"Who are you really?" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to stay composed.

Clayton didn't answer right away, too focused on resuscitating Kai. After a tense moment, Kai sucked in a sharp breath, his limp body convulsing slightly as air returned to his lungs. He hadn't died—only lost consciousness for a moment.

Clayton stood, gently taking my arm and guiding me out of the room. Once the door clicked shut behind us, he finally spoke in a low voice. "I'm an undercover agent. I infiltrated the Richards family to investigate Kai's criminal activities. His company is deeply involved in illegal dealings. Mrs. Richards, were you aware of this?"

I shook my head. No, I hadn't known. Between my own illness and taking care of Leon, I'd had no energy left to keep track of Kai's business affairs.

None of that mattered right now. There was only one thing I needed to know. "Where's Leon now?"

Clayton's gaze softened slightly. "Don't worry, Mrs. Richards. He's safe. We placed him in a daycare near the police station under full protection. He's completely unharmed."

A broken laugh burst from my throat, half-sob, half-disbelieving relief. My legs nearly gave out under me. "Really? You're not lying?"

"I wouldn't dare lie about this, Ma'am." His voice was steady, the weight of his sincerity grounding me even as I trembled. "When I discovered Kai's plan to harvest Leon's kidney, I coordinated with the police to switch Leon out in secret. The surgery Kai watched on the live feed? That wasn't Leon. It was a 3D-printed human model."

The ground swayed beneath my feet. "Then... whose kidney did Rae receive?"

Clayton's expression didn't change, his tone perfectly neutral. "A pig's kidney."

My mind blanked for a moment. "What?"

"This year, Arlington University's research team developed experimental technology allowing pig kidneys to be transplanted into humans. It hasn't been fully approved for clinical use yet, but Rae... well, she's a perfect test subject."

My mouth opened, then closed. I could hardly process what I was hearing.

Clayton's calm voice carried on. "The technology is still unstable, though. It's unclear how long the kidney will function in her body. At best, she'll need a second transplant soon."