Perhaps it was the look in my eyes that startled him. Edgar's grip tightened around my wrist, and for a long moment, he just stood there frozen, unable to react.

I wrenched my hand free.

"Edgar, I hope you won't regret what you've done today."

I turned and walked away, wanting nothing more than to get as far from this disgusting pair as possible.

But they had no intention of letting me go that easily.

A squad of bodyguards in black suits rushed forward, blocking my path with hostile expressions.

Edgar's mocking voice rang out behind me.

"Tsk, tsk. It's been half an hour already, Katherine. You slapped Lydia, you wasted our time. Did you really think you could just walk away like nothing happened?"

I turned back, my gaze ice-cold.

"Then what do you want?"

Edgar's eyes swept over the wreckage scattered across the floor, dripping with contempt.

"You were standing here trying to sell these pathetic little paintings. They wouldn't have fetched much anyway. Worthless amateur garbage, if we're being honest. But tell you what, I'll give you a chance."

He let out a derisive laugh, every syllable soaked in condescension.

"You're going to stay right here and wait on my precious Lydia. Be her little servant. Whatever she tells you to do, you do it."

"If you serve her well enough, I might be generous and let the whole thing slide. The slap, the broken merchandise, all of it."

"But if you don't..."

His voice trailed off. The amusement drained from his eyes, replaced by something cold and vicious.

"Then you'd better be ready to face the consequences."

I turned slowly to face him, taking in that smug, self-satisfied expression, and felt the fury building from somewhere deep inside my chest.

In the six months since our engagement, how much had I given for the Fox family? Did he have absolutely no idea?

I'd leveraged every last connection and resource the Sullivan family had. I'd landed him deal after deal, paving his way forward at every turn.

I'd dragged the Fox family out of their dead-end plateau and forced open the doors to the real elite circles.

In just six months, I'd put them on the Forbes list.

Without me, Katherine Sullivan.

Edgar Fox would still be nothing more than a small-time heir scrambling in the B-list circles of Seaview City.

He wouldn't even have the standing to speak to me.

All of that, and he was either genuinely blind to what I was capable of, or he was simply an ungrateful snake who'd bitten the hand that fed him.

My eyes narrowed.

"Edgar, do you truly not know who I am?"

"I don't care who you are. You're just a spoiled princess the Sullivan family coddled too long. No real talent to speak of. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Edgar waved his hand dismissively, and the bodyguards moved on cue.

Two of them seized my arms from either side. They ignored my struggling, wrenched my wrists behind my back, and pulled out a length of coarse rope to bind me.

They were actually going to hold me down and turn me into Lydia's personal slave.

The instant the rope bit into my skin, my rage boiled over into a cold, bitter laugh.

"Edgar, you must have a death wish."

He scoffed and reached out, giving my cheek a patronizing slap.

"Katherine. You knew I was going to become the heir to Fox Group. That's why you agreed to the engagement, isn't it?"

"Before, I had no real standing in the family. My brother overshadowed me at every turn."

"But things are different now. If I can't even protect the woman I love, what kind of heir would I be?"

Edgar delivered that speech like it was something to be proud of.

He had no idea how soon those words would blow up in his face.

The bodyguards were seconds away from tying me up completely.

I clenched my fists and spoke, my voice cutting through like a blade.

"Edgar, stop flattering yourself. Do you even know why you became the Fox family heir?"

"It's because you chose to get engaged to me."

"If it weren't for me, you'd be nothing."

"I suggest you untie me right now. Otherwise, things won't end well for you."

Edgar let out a cold laugh.

"Katherine, don't tell me you actually think you're some kind of princess? That you have that kind of power?"

There was nothing left to say to someone this stupid.

When I'd turned around a moment ago, I'd already sent the message.

By now, the Fox family and even the Sullivan family would know exactly what Edgar had done.

When he saw me fall silent, refusing to speak, Edgar suddenly shoved me hard. I stumbled and collapsed at Lydia's feet.

Lydia looked down at me with a triumphant smile. She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper beside my ear.

"Katherine, so what if you're Edgar's fiancée? He doesn't love you."

"You can't even hold on to a man's love. So tell me, why would he ever protect you?"

"Edgar himself said you're supposed to be my little slave today."

"So why don't you start by being a good girl and..."

Lydia's gaze shifted, a wicked grin spreading across her face as she slowly lifted the sole of her stiletto.

"Licking the bottom of my shoe clean."

I raised my head and stared straight at her. "Are you sure about that?"

There wasn't a trace of fear in me. My eyes were perfectly calm as I turned to Edgar with a look of pure pity.

"I'd suggest you enjoy this little power trip while it lasts."

"Because it won't be long now."

"Before you lose everything. And after that, you won't be far from ruin."

That was what finally set Edgar off.

His eyes went bloodshot. He stormed forward and locked both hands around my throat, his knuckles white with the force of his grip. His voice came out savage and twisted.

"You're about to die and you're still running your mouth?"

"Katherine, is it really so hard to get on your knees and beg?"

His grip tightened. I could barely breathe.

Then, at that critical moment, a furious, aged voice thundered from beyond the crowd.

"Stop! You ungrateful wretch, are you trying to destroy Fox Group with your own hands?!"