Chapter 4

The crowd waited for my answer. I knew they wanted a dramatic show, so I decided to give them one.

I forced tears to well up in my eyes. I let my shoulders tremble perfectly. I threw my arms around Reeve's neck and buried my face in his tailored suit.

"I am so sorry," I sobbed loudly, making sure the microphones caught every pathetic quiver in my voice. "I was just so jealous. I didn't mean to cause a scene. Please take me home, Reeve."

The camera shutters exploded like rapid gunfire. The reporters shouted questions, their voices overlapping in a chaotic frenzy.

The crowd cooed at the touching reconciliation, completely blind to the monster hiding beneath the tailored wool of his suit.

Reeve wrapped his arms around me. He played the forgiving, noble husband flawlessly.

But his fingers dug fiercely into the base of my spine, bruising the skin.

"Good girl," he whispered. "You saved your mother’s life today. But you will pay dearly for this little stunt when we get home."

He guided me through the sea of reporters. He led me toward his waiting limousine.

Hayley followed closely behind us. She wiped her fake tears and offered a fragile, brave smile to the cameras, playing the innocent victim to perfection.

We stepped into the limousine. The romantic act ended instantly.

Reeve violently shoved me across the plush leather seat. My shoulder slammed hard against the door panel, the impact rattling my teeth.

"Are you completely out of your mind?" Reeve roared. "You humiliated me! Do you have any idea how much Vargas Group stock is going to drop because of your pathetic little tantrum?"

I kept my head down, letting my hair fall over my face. "I wasn’t the one who leaked it—”

“Do you think I would believe you? The moment we get back to the estate, I am calling the clinic. I am going to have the doctors lower your mother's oxygen levels. Just enough so she suffocates slowly. I want you to hear her gasping for air over the phone."

Hayley did not hold back either. She lunged across the wide seat. Her manicured hands grabbed a thick fistful of my hair.

She yanked my head back with vicious force, forcing me to look at her.

"You stupid, worthless bitch," Hayley hissed. She slapped my cheek hard. The sharp sting echoed in the confined space of the car. "You thought you could embarrass us? I had to stand out there and cry in front of those peasants because of you!"

"Let her go, Hayley," Reeve snapped "Do not leave marks where the cameras can see. I will deal with her in the soundproof room. She won't see the light of day for a month."

"Make her sleep in the dog kennel tonight," Hayley demanded, releasing my hair with a disgusted scoff. She sat back and smoothed the wrinkles from her pristine white dress. "And I want her scrubbing the grand staircase with a toothbrush tomorrow. If she misses a single spot, you take away her food for a week."

"Whatever you want, darling," Reeve agreed smoothly, adjusting his cuffs. He glared at me. "You are nothing, Zoe. You are dirt. You exist only because I allow it."

I touched my stinging cheek. I tasted copper in my mouth from where my teeth had cut into my lip. I did not cry. I did not beg for mercy.

I just looked at the digital clock glowing on the dashboard.

Ten seconds.

"Are you even listening to me?" Reeve barked, raising his hand to strike me again. "Look at me when I speak to you—"

The limousine violently swerved.

The heavy tires screeched against the asphalt. We were thrown forward in our seats. Reeve’s hand missed my face and slammed into the leather partition.

A deafening crash shook the entire car. Metal crunched loudly.

Glass shattered everywhere, raining down on the plush carpets.

Reeve shouted in blind panic. Hayley screamed at the top of her lungs, curling into a tight ball.

The limousine came to a violent, jarring halt. We were no longer on the main road.

The dim light filtering through the broken windows revealed we were trapped in a dark, empty alleyway.

Heavy footsteps surrounded the vehicle. Men in black tactical gear and ski masks appeared outside the tinted windows.

One of the men smashed the remaining glass of the passenger window with the solid butt of his rifle. He reached inside and unlocked the doors.

The heavy doors were ripped open. Freezing air rushed into the car.

"Get out!" a deep, muffled voice commanded.

Reeve trembled uncontrollably. A masked man pointed a gun directly at Reeve's chest.

"Wait! Wait!" Reeve pleaded, holding up his hands. "I am Reeve Vargas! I am a billionaire! Whatever you want, I can pay you! Double! Triple! Take my watch, take my wallet!" He frantically tore the million-dollar Rolex off his wrist and threw it at the man's boots.

The armed man didn't even look at the watch. He kept the rifle aimed at Reeve's heart.

Reeve did not hesitate. He grabbed my arms. He violently shoved me out the open door toward the armed men.

"Take her!" Reeve screamed. His voice cracked with pure, pathetic terror. "Take my wife! She is the one you want! She's collateral! I have no use for her! Just let me go!"

I stumbled out of the car. I did not fall to the ground. Strong, gloved hands caught my shoulders and steadied me gently.

Hayley cowered in the corner of the leather seat. She sobbed hysterically and covered her head with her arms, completely ignored by the men.

Reeve held his hands up in surrender. He breathed heavily. He waited for the kidnappers to drag me away into the dark alley. He waited to save his own skin.

The leader of the armed men lowered his rifle. He looked at Reeve.

He let out a low, dark laugh that echoed off the brick walls.

"Take her?" the masked man asked as he stepped back and respectfully bowed his head to me. "Why would we kidnap the woman who ordered us to kill you?"