Chapter 4

Valerie Shaw POV

"What did you say?"

He looked up, his deep eyes, for the first time, tinged with clear displeasure at my defiance.

I took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness churning in my chest, and pointed directly at the seemingly innocent woman beside him.

"Ethan King, do you know what she once did..."

"Valerie Shaw." Ethan cut me off without ceremony, his voice turning cold. "What I say, goes! Don't forget your duty as a bodyguard!"

Duty.

A bodyguard's duty was unconditional obedience.

I had seen what happened to those who disobeyed Ethan's orders.

The rest of my words instantly caught in my throat. I ultimately didn't refuse again.

After all, I didn't want any more trouble before I left.

In the afternoon, Ethan went out on business, leaving only Brittany and me in the villa.

I had intended to retreat to my room, trying to avoid contact, but Brittany clearly had no intention of letting me off the hook.

She swayed elegantly to the center of the living room, surveying it like her own territory, her gaze sweeping over the furniture and decor.

Finally, it rested on the rug Ethan and I had once chosen together.

"It's exactly the same as five years ago, Ethan really hasn't changed a bit."

I clenched my jaw, offering no response.

Brittany didn't seem to care. She leaned back languidly on the sofa, crossing her legs, and said softly, "I'm thirsty. Get me a glass of water."

I stood my ground, unmoving.

Seeing this, Brittany picked up the cup of hot tea a maid had just prepared for her and leisurely walked over to me.

"What? Ethan just left, and you're already disobedient?"

Before she finished speaking, she splashed the scalding hot tea directly onto my face and neck.

My body reacted faster than my brain. I sharply recoiled half a step.

But my still-injured body slowed me down. A large portion of the tea still splashed onto my face and neck, turning my skin red instantly.

Brittany chuckled, her eyes filled with malicious glee. She then casually tossed the cup to the floor, extending her foot to tap the ground with her shoe tip.

"Now, hurry up and kneel to clean my shoes."

I sharply lifted my head, my hands clenched tight.

"Can't you understand me? Do you really think that just because you slept with Ethan King for a few years, you could become Mrs. King? Have you forgotten your place?"

Brittany spoke slowly, her smile venomous.

"Or is it that the inherent baseness from your murderer father makes you unable to even comply with basic orders—?"

"Slap! Slap!" Before she could finish, two crisp, loud slaps landed hard on her face.

Just then, the sound of the front door opening came from the entrance.

Ethan immediately saw my reddened hand and the glaring slap marks on Brittany's face. His voice was cold as ice, "Valerie Shaw, who gave you permission to hit her?!"

"She called me the murderer's daughter!" My voice trembled.

Ethan's eyes narrowed, his gaze lingering for a moment on my scalded neck.

Brittany immediately clutched Ethan's sleeve, tears falling precisely like broken pearls.

"Ethan, how could I say such a thing? Knowing what happened to Miss Shaw's father, I only feel sad for her..."

"I just saw her standing there looking tired and wanted to invite her to sit and rest. Perhaps I spoke too quickly, and she misunderstood..."

Brittany's tearful appearance tugged at Ethan's heart.

He turned to me, his voice chilling, "No matter what she said, it wasn't a reason for you to lay hands on her!"

"Besides, Brittany wasn't wrong about your father."

All my words caught in my throat.

Years ago, he was framed, his company on the verge of bankruptcy. Devastated by his divorce from Brittany, he was utterly despondent.

To encourage him to get back on his feet, I had revealed my most painful, bloodiest scar to him, begging him not to give up.

But now, he was using that very knife, given to him by me, to ruthlessly stab me.

My heart ached as if pierced by a thousand needles. I found it hard to breathe.

Seeing my instantly pale face and my swaying body, a flicker of almost imperceptible pain crossed Ethan's eyes.

But in the end, he said coldly:

"This is the first time, and it will be the last. If I ever see you lay hands on Brittany again, I will not let you off the hook!"

With that, he didn't look at me again, carefully putting his arm around the sobbing Brittany, and turned to leave the room.

I stood frozen in place, unmoving.

I watched their retreating backs and then suddenly chuckled softly.

I realized that when your heart is truly dead, there are no tears left to cry.