By then, the photos had made their way through high society.

It wasn’t just the usual gossip anymore—it was a full-on spectacle, a public shaming.

But while others seemed to relish in her downfall, Madison was the one person who actually tried to offer some comfort. “Daphne, don’t let this get to you. I’ll talk to Logan. We’ll get all these photos taken down, and I’ll stop people from talking behind your back.”

Daphne gave a bitter smile. Madison meant well, but she didn’t realize that the one person who wanted to see Daphne suffer the most was the very man she was trying to protect her from—Logan.

That afternoon, Madison mentioned she had someone she wanted Daphne to meet. So, they headed out together to a café.

When they arrived, Daphne spotted Kyle sitting in a prime seat by the window, his hand waving in greeting. After their brief encounter at the party, they hadn’t had a chance to really talk.

They exchanged pleasantries briefly before Madison said she had to leave for something else.

“I’ll let you two catch up,” she said with a smile before heading out.

Once Madison was gone, Kyle didn’t waste any time. “Daphne, I know things are rough for you right now.”

The words hit hard. Daphne knew precisely what he was referring to—the photos. Kyle must have seen them too.

Shame washed over her, and her eyes started to sting with tears.

Was he disappointed in her?

“I’m sure you must have your reasons,” Kyle continued, his tone calm and understanding as if he could see right through her.

That did it. Daphne couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears spilled over, and she began to cry openly.

For the past two years, everyone had turned their back on her. Friends, family—everyone. They avoided her as if she were some kind of plague.

Even Madison, who had once been her closest friend, had distanced herself after the collapse of the Ravenscroft Enterprise.

Kyle was the only one who hadn’t turned away.

The only one who still believed in her.

...

An hour later, Daphne left the café, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Kyle offered to drive her home, but she declined.

She didn’t want him to know she was living with Logan now. She couldn’t let him see how much her life had crumbled.

As she walked back, her mind kept turning over Kyle’s offer.

Kyle had suggested she and her father leave the country. He said medical care abroad was far better than what was available here and promised he could arrange for a top medical team to treat her father.

He also told her that in a new place, with a fresh start, maybe things could get better. She could escape this city that had broken her.

It was tempting. So tempting.

But as she thought of one person in particular, she hesitated. Logan.

When Daphne arrived back at Belleview Manor, she was still lost in thought. But the moment she stepped inside, things took a sharp turn.

Without warning, she was roughly thrown onto the couch. The world spun, and her body hit the cushions with a thud. She barely had time to recover before she started frantically scanning the room.

Luckily, Madison wasn’t there.

“You still had the nerve to come back?” Logan’s voice was cold and laced with anger.

Before she could react, a stack of photos was thrown in her direction, scattering across the floor like confetti.

Logan’s face was twisted in fury. “Meeting with your ex? Do you think I’m dead?”

Daphne opened her mouth to explain, but Logan didn’t let her. Like a man possessed, he overpowered her.

In the living room of Belleview Manor, on the sofa—he violated her.

Her mouth was silenced. Her hands and feet were restrained.

The humiliation and helplessness gnawed at her, but what hurt more than anything was the crushing fear inside her.

The physical pain seemed to pale in comparison to the terror she felt, knowing that she was trapped.

When it was finally over, Daphne lay there on the verge of collapse. Logan’s cold voice broke through the silence, his words carrying a weight of finality.

“If this happens again, you can start planning your father’s funeral.”

The threat was clear, chilling.

After that, Kyle reached out a few more times, asking to meet with Daphne. But each time, she turned him down.

She hated herself for being so ungrateful, but she knew what Logan could do. She had seen his ruthlessness firsthand. When he said something, he always followed through.

She couldn’t risk it. Not while her father’s life was in Logan’s hands.

Daphne was effectively under house arrest at Belleview Manor. She lived there now, under the pretense of being a “maid.”

During the day, she kept Madison company to help alleviate her boredom. She also took on the cooking and housework. Though she wasn’t exceptionally skilled in the kitchen and often fumbled through chores, Madison didn’t seem to mind. She encouraged her often, even when things went wrong.

But then there was Logan.

He was nothing like Madison. He would scowl at her nearly every day, berating her for being useless. It seemed like he found endless reasons to criticize her, no matter how hard she tried.

The contrast between the two was jarring—Madison, kind and understanding, and Logan, cold and cruel. Daphne had never felt so stuck.

Logan’s dissatisfaction seemed to turn into endless demands, especially when the night fell. It was as if he’d saved up all his anger for the dark hours.

Over the weekend, Madison suggested something that felt like a small escape. She asked Daphne to go with her to pick out a wedding dress.

Daphne knew she could only leave the house if Logan gave her permission, which he reluctantly did.

As they drove to the bridal shop, Madison sighed heavily, her voice soft and almost apologetic. “I’ve always been weak, you know? Never had many friends growing up. Logan worried I’d feel lonely, so he asked you to take care of me…”

Daphne stayed quiet, not sure what to say. Madison’s tone shifted, and she looked at her friend with sympathy. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve endured because of me.”

Daphne turned to her, a bit surprised by the sudden honesty.

Madison hesitated before speaking again. “I don’t know if you realize it, but… because of everything that happened, Logan hates you now.”

Of course, Daphne already knew.

The entire city believed the worst of her. That she'd cheated on Logan and dumped him caused the Ravenscroft Enterprise's collapse. And once Logan took over the company, the rumors only got worse. No man would want to take that kind of humiliation.

But what made it worse was that Logan was powerful—no one dared to speak against him. Everyone sided with him, leaving Daphne with the full weight of blame on her shoulders. She understood all that.

But hearing Madison say it out loud stung more than she expected.

Daphne had chosen this path for herself. She could deal with the accusations, the rumors, and the endless misunderstandings. But she didn’t want Madison to suffer for it.

Daphne decided that once her father recovered, she would apologize to Madison and leave Los Angeles for good.

After they left the bridal shop, Madison took Daphne out for milk tea, trying to lighten the mood.

Daphne took a couple of sips, but soon, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She barely had time to react before Madison, sitting across from her, slumped over the table, unconscious.

Confused and panicking, Daphne tried to call for help, but before she could get a word out, she too collapsed into darkness.

When Daphne woke up, she was no longer in the cozy café or on the street with Madison. Instead, she found herself in an abandoned warehouse. Her hands were bound, and her mouth was sealed shut with duct tape.

She could see Madison not far away, her body writhing with panic. The muffled sounds of her sobs echoed in the otherwise silent space.

A few moments later, three men walked into the warehouse. One of them, a blonde man, pulled out his phone and pointed it at Daphne.

Daphne could hear Logan’s cold voice coming through the speaker. “How much do you want?”

The blonde man smirked, clearly enjoying the situation. “Talking about money is so boring. But don’t say we’re not giving you face, Mr. Carmichael. You can save one of the two women.”

He grinned wider, his words sending a chill down Daphne’s spine. “The other one? Well, she stays with us. For... enjoyment.”

Daphne's heart dropped as the man continued. “Mr. Carmichael, we’ll give you ten seconds to decide. Ten…”

Before he could finish, Logan’s voice rang out, sharp and irritated.

“Release my fiancée!” He cut off the countdown like it was an inconvenience to him.

Daphne’s chest tightened. Of course, the answer came immediately, but it didn’t stop the hurt from seeping into her heart. She had hoped—no, maybe she had wanted—to believe Logan might hesitate for a second.

But the truth was brutal: Logan had never loved her.

To him, she was just a discarded toy.

Useless, easily replaced.

The men immediately released Madison, and despite the terrifying situation, Madison was eerily calm. Daphne saw her glance back as she was led out of the warehouse. She even seemed to smile, though Daphne couldn’t figure out if it was relief or something else.

The smile didn’t make Daphne feel better. But at least Madison was unharmed.

Then, the man with yellow hair turned his eyes back to Daphne, his gaze making her skin crawl. “No wonder Logan kept you around… you look delicious.”

Another man, slightly overweight and sleazy, rubbed his hands together in an almost predatory way.

“Let me taste her first,” he said with a sickening grin.

The third man, skinny and nerdy-looking, fiddled with a video camera, his eyes scanning the room. “

You guys go ahead,” he said, his voice cold and detached. “I’ll film it. The boss said not to miss a single detail.”

Daphne couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt like she was suffocating, trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. Despair washed over her, and she felt the weight of her helplessness. She didn’t dare to imagine the hell she was about to face.

And then the blonde man pulled out a syringe.

Daphne’s heart raced, her body going cold with fear. She struggled against her restraints, but it was no use. With a cruel, practiced motion, the man forced the syringe into her arm, injecting its contents into her.

The cold liquid spread through her veins, and Daphne’s mind fogged over.

At the critical moment, the warehouse door was kicked open with a thunderous crash.