Chapter 5

Valerie POV

Back at the penthouse, Sienna was still crying in Julian's arms.

"Julian, every time I close my eyes, I see that psycho with the acid... I'm so scared. I won't be able to sleep tonight," she whimpered, clutching his shirt. But over his shoulder, I saw the wicked, triumphant smirk on her face.

Julian kissed her forehead gently, his voice incredibly soft. "Don't worry, baby. I'm here. No one will ever hurt you."

Sienna peeked at me as I stood soaking wet by the door. "But... I still feel unsafe. Can Valerie guard my door tonight? She's a champion. If she's standing guard outside, I'll feel safe enough to sleep."

Without a second thought, Julian turned to me, his eyes icy. "You heard her. Go stand guard outside her door."

My left shoulder felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. The fever made my vision blur, and cold sweat drenched my suit jacket.

"Julian, I have a high fever, and my shoulder injury is flaring up. The doctor said I can't stand for long..." I pleaded, clinging to one last shred of hope.

"Stop acting," Julian snapped, disgust written all over his face. "Standing for one night won't kill you. If Sienna doesn't sleep well tonight, you will pay for it."

The door slammed shut in my face, locking me out in the cold hallway.

I slid down against the freezing wall. Listening to Julian's soft, comforting voice inside the room, my tears fell silently.

In our past life, I had sprained my ankle during a match. Julian's eyes had gone red with worry. He had canceled a billion-dollar merger meeting, stayed awake for three days and nights, and read medical books just to learn how to massage my ankle.

He had told me, "Valerie, when you hurt, my heart bleeds. You are never allowed to get hurt again, okay?"

But now, he made me stand outside like a dog, guarding his mistress with a broken shoulder.

I stood there the entire night. My legs went completely numb, and the agony in my shoulder almost made me pass out several times, but I bit my lip and forced myself to endure.

At dawn, the door finally opened.

Julian walked out. Seeing me collapsed on the floor, pale as a ghost and barely breathing, he spoke with absolute indifference.

"Get up and stop acting pathetic. Go make breakfast." He stepped right over my body and walked downstairs without looking back.

A video of me apologizing to Sienna had been maliciously edited and leaked onto Instagram and TikTok, instantly trending.

I only found out later that my gym friend, Felix, had seen the video. His temper flared, and he drove straight to the Vance Group's underground parking garage, cornering Julian as he got out of his car.

"Julian, you absolute piece of garbage! Valerie is a champion! How dare you humiliate her like that!"

Felix threw a brutal punch, cracking Julian right across the jaw and drawing blood.

But Felix was outnumbered. Within seconds, a dozen trained security guards pinned him to the concrete floor.

Julian wiped the blood from his mouth, a dark, murderous look in his eyes. "Call the police. Press charges for assault. I want him to rot in prison. He will never fight in a ring again."

When I got the news, I didn't even put on shoes. I ran like crazy to the Vance Group headquarters and burst into Julian's office.

Staring at the powerful man sitting on his leather sofa, I bowed my head. My voice was filled with desperate pleading. "Julian, it was all my fault. Felix is only twenty. He has a shot at the world championships. Please, drop the charges."

Julian spun his wedding ring around his finger, looking at me with a cruel smirk. "Drop them? Sure. But Sienna was terrified by his violence. You need to show some sincerity to make it up to her."

"What do you want?"

"Do a live stream and announce your permanent retirement from fighting," Julian said, his eyes locking onto mine with absolute malice. "And then, in front of everyone on camera, cut your championship belt into pieces."

I whipped my head up, staring at him in sheer disbelief.

The championship belt was the honor I had fought for with my life. It was my father's proudest achievement before he died! He wanted to completely crush my soul!

"Julian, just kill me instead..." I shook violently, tears streaming down my face.

"Don't want to? Fine. Then go visit Felix in prison."

Ten minutes later, I started the live stream.

In front of hundreds of thousands of shocked fans, my face completely blank with despair, I picked up the heavy shears.

Snip. Snip.

The golden belt fell apart in pieces, and along with it, the last spark of life inside me died.