Nolan scooped her up, hands clamped around her waist so tight she flinched.

He acted as if he couldn't see it— He didn't loosen his grip. If anything, it got worse.

He carried her straight to the master bedroom, and Hailey knew—knew exactly what he was about to do.

She shoved at him, panic rising fast.

Not long ago, he'd been in this same bed with Jordyn. And now—now he wanted her in it?

Her struggle only made his bloodshot eyes go darker.

"Oh, I see. You don't want me touching you? Then who? That fiancé who dragged you through the dirt?"

Hailey froze.

His words hit like a switch, dragging her straight back to the restaurant—those stares, the jeers, the humiliation.

Nolan didn't even notice her shutting down.

He took her silence as guilt, and snapped.

"You really are that cheap? After everything he did, you still want him?"

He ripped at her clothes, sank his teeth into her shoulder.

"Hailey, I need to know!"

His leg shoved between hers.

And all she could see was that used condom—tossed at her feet like garbage. Jordyn's. His.

Her stomach lurched.

With everything she had, she shoved him off and bolted for the bathroom.

Moments later, a crash rang out—furniture splintering, glass breaking.

When Hailey stepped out, the room was trashed. Nolan was gone.

She just stood there, pale and hollow, hunched like something had cracked inside her.

Eyes empty, she drifted back to her room.

She called the nurse. "Can I see my mom?"

"Ms. Hart, great news—she might wake up very soon!"

Hailey wiped her face fast.

"That's... that's amazing. Thank you."

But the tears didn't stop. She snapped a screenshot of her mom's livestream, and hugged the phone to her chest as silent sobs shook her.

At some point, she cried herself to sleep right there on the floor.

***

Noise from outside jolted Hailey awake.

Thirsty, she headed out for water—flipped on the light and froze.

Two undressed bodies.

One was definitely Nolan.

The other... Nadine. Her cousin.

Her younger cousin.

Hailey's vision went red.

She marched straight up and slapped Nolan hard across the face.

"You sick freak!"

Nadine scrambled for her clothes, panic all over her.

"H-Hailey, don't—don't hit Nolan. I... I wanted to."

Hailey's heart cracked in two. But her eyes locked on Nolan, full of venom.

She thought if he wanted revenge on the Hart family, she could take it.

But this?

He wasn't just destroying her. He was dragging down the rest of her blood.

Eight years—he kept her as mistress, used, humiliated.

And now he was going after the girls in her family too.

Nolan licked his lip, eyes gleaming like a blade.

He kicked Nadine out.

She banged on the door, sobbing, begging to be let back in.

But he didn't even look her way.

His focus was all on Hailey.

He grabbed her throat and slammed her onto the couch.

His body burned against hers, pinning her down, mouth crashing into hers to smother her scream.

She could still smell Nadine on him.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He didn't stop.

When she saw him push into her—still wearing the same condom he'd used on Nadine—something inside her snapped.

"Nolan, I hate you!"

He froze.

Then he bit down on her lip—hard—until blood spilled.

In the pale moonlight, mouth stained red, he leaned in and sneered.

"You don't get to say that."

Hailey didn't know how long Nolan kept going.

All she remembered was the fever burning through her body, her mouth running with words she couldn't even recall.

Somewhere in the haze, her mind drifted...

She used to love hiking. Nolan would tag along, mountain after mountain.

Once, she heard about this love-wish tree on a far-off peak. The trail was brutal, unmarked, risky.

She wanted to go. But that time, Nolan said no.

Back then, she didn't get it.

He'd never seen a future with her—wasn't about to chase some stupid tree for love.

So she went anyway. Packed her bag, told no one.

And it rained.

Hard.

She got stranded on the mountain.

She never found the tree—but she did find Nolan.

Soaked. Furious. Eyes wild.

Before she could say a word, he started shouting. She just stood there, stunned, heart crumbling.

Then—he pulled her in.

Tight.

Like he'd almost lost her for good.

His chest pounded. His grip was crushing.

In that second, she knew—

Finding the tree didn't matter anymore.

***

When Hailey woke, the sharp sting of disinfectant hit her nose.

She blinked—and there he was.

Nolan.

Staring at her like through a fog, face unreadable.

But just as she tried to figure him out, he snapped back into that icy version of himself.

"Fever didn't kill you. Too bad."

Then he turned and walked out, leaving her alone in the hospital.

During her stay, Nolan never showed.

Not once.

But his name kept blowing up on trending—first with an actress, then some up-and-coming model.

Hailey didn't flinch.

After eight years, her heart was wreckage. Pain barely registered.

When she finally returned to Thorne Corp, every stare in the room landed on her.

She didn't know why—until Jane walked up with a file.

"Robert's dead."

Hailey blinked. "What?"

"Got caught with another guy's wife. Her husband beat him to death."

A frown flickered across Hailey's face, then disappeared.

For someone like Robert... it wasn't exactly a shock.

Nolan didn't show all day.

The secretarial pool hummed with whispers—some actress had supposedly caught his eye.

Hailey's pen slipped from her hand.

A thought crept in—if Nolan really wanted someone else... would he finally let go?

Could she take her mom and get out for good?

The idea wouldn't leave her alone.

Even after work, she was still hoping.

Just as Hailey stepped outside, someone lunged at her.

Before she could react, a bottle came flying—its contents aimed straight at her face.

She froze, eyes wide.

"Hailey!"

Nolan burst in, throwing himself in front of her.

"You bitch!" the woman shrieked. "My son lost his job because of you! Now he's crippled! You're gonna pay with your life!"

Nolan kicked her, hard.

It was Ethan's mom.

She hit the pavement, screaming.

"You filthy pair! You ruined him—now me? I'll sue! I'll watch you rot!"

Hailey just stared, numb, then turned to Nolan.

Someone shouted, "Mr. Thorne, your arm!"

Nolan's face went cold. Dark.

"Take her away," he snapped.

His voice—flat, emotionless—stabbed into Hailey like tiny silver blades.

Stiff, she glanced down at his arm. "Nolan!"

The crowd was growing.

A petite woman shoved past the bodyguards and rushed to him, grabbing his arm with shaking hands.

"That was acid! We have to go—now!"

She didn't wait. Just dragged him toward the car.

Hailey called out without thinking. "Why?"

Nolan stopped.

His face stayed blank—just the ghost of a smirk playing at his lips.

Like he knew exactly what she meant.

Like he was laughing at her for still hoping.

"Why did I save you?" he said, voice low. "Your family owes me more than a thousand deaths could pay off. If you're gonna rot... you'll rot by my hand."

The crowd thinned.

And under the flickering streetlight, Hailey stood alone—small, quiet, and breaking.

Hailey didn't go home.

She just rode the bus. For hours.

Eventually, she ended up at the cemetery.

She bought a bouquet of white lilies and laid them at Donovan's grave.

It had been years. Her first time back.

Not because she didn't want to—she just couldn't.

She'd been too tired. Too wrecked.

Staring at his headstone, all she felt was envy.

He got to die and be done. No consequences. No guilt. No pain.

She was still here, drowning in it.

There was so much she wanted to say—but now that she was standing there, nothing came.

So she just smiled, bitter and quiet.

"I'm doing okay. Mom too. Jordyn... well, she's surviving, I guess."

The wind brushed her face, soft and cool.

Almost like it understood. Almost like it was sorry.

***

When Hailey finally got home, drained and aching, she didn't expect to see Nolan.

She froze, hand tightening around her bag.

He should've still been in the hospital.

But the second the door clicked shut, he looked up.

Then—he stood.

Crossed the room fast and stopped right in front of her.

His voice was cold, every word like a blade.

"Where were you?"

Hailey tensed. "I... I went to the hospital, but I didn't know which one you were in, so I—"

He moved—quick.

His hand slid through her hair.

Then he pulled back, holding a single lily petal between his fingers.

Her eyes widened. Breath caught.

Nolan stared at the petal.

Then let out a strange, low laugh.

"Phone broken? You went to the hospital? Brought flowers? Funeral ones? Seriously, Hailey—are you that eager for me to die? Think if I'm gone, you'll finally be free to marry whoever?"

Hailey let out a slow breath.

He hadn't figured it out. Thank God.

Even his insults didn't sting anymore.

Then—the doorbell rang.

Nolan went to answer.

"Nolan, you're so slow! Mike couldn't wait!"

The second she heard the voice, Hailey turned toward the door—

And a black blur came flying at her.

Something massive slammed her down.

Pain exploded as jaws clamped around her leg.

"Ah!" she screamed.

A pit bull. Its teeth dug in deeper.

The woman rushed in after it. "Mike, let go! Let go or I'll hit you!"

Tears streaked down Hailey's face.

Through her blurred vision, she caught it—that smirk.

The woman stroked the dog's head, gentle like a lullaby.

And the gentler she got, the harder those jaws tore into Hailey's leg.

Ripping. Shredding.

Only when Hailey was barely conscious did the dog finally let go.

Soaked in sweat, shaking, she collapsed—gone before she hit the floor.

***

When Hailey came to, her leg was already wrapped up.

Nolan was parked on the couch like he owned the place.

At his feet? The same pit bull that had just torn into her—now chilling like it hadn't done a thing.

She yanked her leg back on instinct, but it brushed the wound. Pain shot through her, and she curled up, shaking.

Nolan glanced over, cool as ever, and gave the dog a lazy pat.

"You seriously think I'm that dumb? Like I'd fall for your crap?"

His smirk cut sharp—like he was laughing at how clever she thought she was.