My fingertips trembled as I tapped the encrypted frequency that was firmly memorized in my mind. Just two beeps, and the call got through.

"I never expected you to contact me." A man's deep, resonant voice came through the receiver.

The faint, chilling noise of a chainsaw cutting through bone could be heard in the background.

Luke Chance was once the second-in-command of Night Owl Legion. He was also a deranged, unlicensed doctor who was internationally wanted for indulging in illegal live human modification.

I looked into the mirror, saying quickly, "Jules is going to hand me over to Samuel. Find a way to rescue me."

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by the crisp sound of a surgical knife being thrown onto a metal tray.

Luke laughed uncontrollably, his voice carrying a twisted joy.

"I told you that loser Jules isn't worthy of you. You disbanded the legion for him, even going so far as to cut ties with me..."

I closed my eyes and clenched the cold communicator. "Cut the crap, Luke. I know you've been looking for the perfect experimental subject. As long as you take me with you, my life is yours."

The laughter on the other end stopped abruptly. "Deal."

...

A black silk dress clung tightly to my body, while my delicate neck was exposed to the cool air.

I sat before the vanity mirror, looking at myself. The Night Owl with eyes radiating murderous intent was gone, replaced by a beautifully made-up doll.

Jules stood behind me, placing a ruby ​​necklace around my neck. The cold gem pressed against my collarbone.

"Beautiful." He looked at me in the mirror, his hands pressing gently on my shoulders. "Skylar, no matter what happens tonight, trust me, okay?"

'Trust you? I'll trust that you'll sell me for a good price,' I pondered.

I sneered inwardly, but outwardly, I nodded obediently. "Jules, do you love me?"

Jules paused for half a second and avoided the question. He casually took my hand. "Let's go."

…

The convoy drove through the bustling city center, heading toward the suburbs. This was not the road to a high-class club, nor to a private manor.

The scenery outside the window grew increasingly desolate, and the streetlights were sparse. Eventually, only the car headlights pierced the endless darkness.

A salty, briny smell of seawater gradually filled the air. We had arrived at the dock.

The Gray family's convoy stopped in front of an abandoned shipyard. This was where the Gray family had built their fortune in their early days. It also served as a mass grave where countless souls had perished.

"We're here." Jules opened the car door for me.

The sea breeze was strong, tousling my long hair.

Samuel had brought a large group of men, and each one of them watched menacingly.

I instinctively reached for my outer thigh, where I usually strapped my tactical knife, but now, there was only the smooth hem of my silk skirt. I was unarmed because Jules had said I was his dance partner tonight, not his bodyguard.

I feigned unease and snuggled closer to him.

Jules put his arm around my shoulder, his grip surprisingly tight as if he were afraid I would run away. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Words that used to move me deeply now only made me nauseous.

He pushed open the rusty iron door. The huge warehouse was brightly lit, and the glaring incandescent light made me squint. A long table stood in the center of the warehouse, flanked by fully armed men in black.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and cheap cologne.

At the far end of the table sat a bald, middle-aged man. He wore a floral shirt, and he rested his feet on a crate of goods. He was using a dagger to pick dirt from under his fingernails. He was Samuel Robinson, the Don of his family.

Behind him stood a dozen gunmen, each carrying a Thompson submachine gun. The dark muzzle pointed straight at the door.

"Gray, you're late." Samuel looked up, revealing a gold-toothed grin while his eyes darted greedily between Jules and me.

"Is this how you show your sincerity?"

Jules led me to one end of the long table and pulled out a chair for me. His movements were still as gentlemanly as when he brought me to dinner parties countless times before. Only this time, he stood behind me, his hands pressing on my shoulders. "Samuel, I've brought her. Where's Gianna?"

Jules' voice was calm, devoid of any emotion.

Samuel toyed with the dagger, his gaze fixed on my face. It was filled with bare hatred and lust. "Skylar... Shaw? I've heard so much about you. I always thought the one who could shoot my eldest son dead would be a tough woman, but she turns out to be a beauty!"

His men let out malicious jeers.

Samuel stood up and dragged his heavy steps over. The dagger scraped across the table with a screeching sound. "Jules, it seems you've made your choice."

Jules' hand on my shoulder did not tremble. He straightened his cuffs and replied calmly, "Skylar is yours. Do with her as you please. I'm okay with trading a life for a life. I have only one request—release Gianna."

I sat in my chair with my back straight. Although I had long figured out the outcome, hearing those words still felt like an invisible hand was crushing my heart. In that instant, three years of life-and-death companionship and countless nights of tenderness turned to ashes before those words.

I looked down, covering the last glimmer of light in my eyes. I contemplated, 'Jules, this is your choice. I'm no longer your Skylar from now on.'

Samuel threw his head back and laughed. "Jules, you're truly someone who does great things! You'd even give away your own woman for a useless little sister! Impressive!"

He abruptly stopped laughing, and the dagger slammed into the table with a thud right beside me. "But it's not enough."

Samuel stared at Jules with a sinister look. "Don't think I don't know. This woman is incredibly skilled. If she fights back, my old bones won't be able to take it."

"What do you want to do?" Jules asked.

Samuel kicked the toolbox beside him and kicked out a heavy iron hammer from it. "Cripple her."

Samuel pointed at my right hand. "That's the hand she handles guns with. I want you to smash her bones with your own hands. Make her unable to hold a gun for the rest of her life. Only then can I accept this 'apology.'"

The air froze.

Gianna hid in the corner, trembling as she stuck her head out and looked expectantly at Jules.

I did not turn around but just stared at the gleaming dagger on the table.

"Skylar." Jules' voice came from above my head, carrying a complexity of emotions that I did not understand.

"Don't be afraid." He bent over and whispered in my ear. His warm breath was on my earlobe, but it made me feel bone-chillingly cold. "Members of Samuel's family like sadistic killings. As long as you can still move your hand, they won't let you off. That would make your death even more painful. Skylar, breaking your hand is for your own good."

He released my shoulders and walked toward the iron hammer. The sound of his leather shoes on the concrete floor was like the sound of a death knell.

He bent down, picked up the iron hammer, and weighed it in his hand. Then, he turned around and looked at me. Those once affectionate eyes now only showed the decision he made after weighing the pros and cons.

"Reach out your hand. All it'll take to end the war between the two families and save Gianna's life is… you."

Samuel grinned maliciously and gave his men a look. "You won't lose on this deal."

Two burly men approached and pressed my shoulders, one on each side, forcibly pressing my right hand onto the table.

The cold surface pressed against my palm. The ruby ​​ring gleamed eerily under the light as if mocking my foolishness.

I looked up at Jules.

Three years, more than 1,000 days and nights… I had taken bullets for him, purged traitors for him, and cooked for him. I became the only one fit to stand at his side.

I thought I would be his exception, but... I was nothing more than someone who could be discarded at any time. I was nothing compared to his family and Gianna.

I called his name, my voice surprisingly calm. "Jules, are you sure?"

Jules's grip on the hammer tightened, his knuckles turning white. He avoided my gaze and stared at the back of my hand.

He muttered, a slight tremor in his tone, but mostly ruthlessness, "Bear with it. This is what you owe the Gray family. If we hadn't taken you in, you would've died at the hands of your enemies long ago. Today, you're paying your debt."

'I'm paying my debt? What a fine way to put it,' I thought as I watched him raise the hammer high.

It was my dominant hand; the hand that held the gun, the hand that embraced him, and the hand that cooked soup for him tonight.

The first blow landed on the table, just a centimeter away from my fingers.

I did not pull my hand back, nor did I scream. I just stared intently at him.

Samuel clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Mr. Gray, getting soft? Need my men to help you?"

Jules took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "No need." He raised the hammer again, this time devoid of hesitation.

Crack! A sharp pain exploded within me like a white lightning bolt piercing my nerves.

I heard the sound of bones shattering. It was a sickening crack. My right hand was deformed under the hammer, my finger bones crushed, while my flesh was a bloody mess.

I could not help but let out a muffled groan from my throat.

Cold sweat instantly soaked through my expensive backless dress. My vision blurred with pain, but I did not cry.

I bit my lip, the taste of blood spreading in my mouth.

I kept my eyes wide open, staring intently at Jules. I wanted to remember this face and remember this man who had personally crippled me after abandoning me.

Jules tossed the bloodied hammer, and it slammed to the ground with a dull thud. He was panting heavily as he stared at the mangled hand. A flicker of pain crossed his eyes, but it vanished instantly. "Is that enough?"

"Yes!" Samuel clapped his hands, laughing so hard he almost fell over. His eyes filled with admiration. "You're truly ruthless! Impressive!"

Samuel waved his hand, and one of his men tossed him a document. "Sign this, and we'll consider this shipment settled."

Jules took the document and quickly signed his name, without even glancing at the terms.

Gianna rushed out from the corner, hugging Jules's leg and wailing. "Jules! I knew you wouldn't abandon me!"

Jules grabbed Gianna and turned around to leave. He never glanced at me again. With his back to me, he strode toward the door with his loser sister.

His figure remained upright, still like the arrogant king he was. Meanwhile, I was abandoned like a bag of trash.

"Skylar, we're even." His voice came from afar and echoed in the empty warehouse.

The door slowly closed behind him, and the last glimmer of light vanished.

Only Samuel and his ravenous henchmen remained in the warehouse. "Lady, it's time to settle our scores."